{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/post-office-act-1953-repealed/section-32",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/post-office-act-1953-repealed/section-32.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/36",
  "legislation_title": "Post Office Act 1953 (repealed)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/post-office-act-1953-repealed",
  "path": "section/32",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "32",
  "heading": "Penalty for opening of mail bag by master or commander of ship or aircraft.",
  "text": "(1) If the master of a ship or the commander of an aircraft—\n(a) opens a sealed mail bag with which he is entrusted for conveyance; or\n(b) takes out of a mail bag with which he is entrusted for conveyance any postal packet or other thing,\nhe shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.\n(2) If any person to whom postal packets have been entrusted by the master of a ship or the commander of an aircraft to deliver to the Post Office, breaks the seal, or in any manner wilfully opens them, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 38, 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), ss. 289F, 289G and (N.I.) by S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), arts. 5, 6"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of Post Office Act 1969 (c. 48), Sch. 4 para. 2(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289G and (N.I.) by virtue of S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), arts. 5, 6"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 32 applied (with modifications) (7.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/878, art. 10 (with art. 17)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/36/section/32",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:16:39.685380+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}