OpenLegislation

Serious Crime Act 2015 in Northern Ireland

2015 c. 9 · Enacted 3 March 2015 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 6 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 29 June 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 69(8)words omittedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 75(4)
s. 26omittedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 32
s. 69(1)words insertedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 75(2)
s. 69(2)(b)(ii)words insertedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 75(2)
s. 69(2A)insertedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 75(3)
Sch. 4 para. 48omittedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 33

An Act to amend the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the Computer Misuse Act 1990, Part 4 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009, section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, the Sexual Offences Act 2003, the Street Offences Act 1959, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005, the Prison Act 1952 and the Terrorism Act 2006; to make provision about involvement in organised crime groups and about serious crime prevention orders; to make provision for the seizure and forfeiture of drug-cutting agents; to make it an offence to possess an item that contains advice or guidance about committing sexual offences against children; to create an offence in relation to controlling or coercive behaviour in intimate or family relationships; to make provision for the prevention or restriction of the use of communication devices by persons detained in custodial institutions; to make provision approving for the purposes of section 8 of the European Union Act 2011 certain draft decisions under Article 352 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union relating to serious crime; to make provision about codes of practice that relate to the exercise and performance, in connection with the prevention or detection of serious crime, of powers and duties in relation to communications; and for connected purposes.

[3rd March 2015]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part 1: Proceeds of crime
  2. Confiscation: assets held by defendant and other
  3. 1Determination of extent of defendant's interest in property
  4. 2Provision of information
  5. 3Appeals Repealed
  6. 4Enforcement receivers
  7. Confiscation: other amendments
  8. 5Time for payment
  9. 6Confiscation and victim surcharge orders
  10. 7Orders for securing compliance with confiscation order
  11. 9Absconding defendants
  12. 10Default sentences
  13. 11Conditions for exercise of restraint order powers
  14. 12Continuation of restraint order after quashed conviction
  15. 13Conditions for exercise of search and seizure powers
  16. 14Seized money etc
  17. Chapter 2: Scotland
  18. 15Restitution order and victim surcharge
  19. 16Orders for securing compliance with confiscation order
  20. 17Compliance orders: appeals by prosecutor
  21. 18Accused persons unlawfully at large
  22. 19Enforcement of confiscation orders
  23. 20Conditions for exercise of restraint order powers
  24. 21Continuation of restraint order after conviction quashed or verdict set aside
  25. 22Conditions for exercise of search and seizure powers
  26. Civil recovery
  27. 23Prohibitory property orders: PPO receivers
  28. Chapter 3: Northern Ireland
  29. Confiscation: assets held by defendant and other
  30. 24Determination of extent of defendant's interest in property
  31. 25Provision of information
  32. 26Appeals
  33. 27Enforcement receivers
  34. Confiscation: other amendments
  35. 28Time for payment
  36. 29Orders for securing compliance with confiscation order
  37. 30Variation or discharge
  38. 31Absconding defendants
  39. 32Default sentences
  40. 33Conditions for exercise of restraint order powers
  41. 34Continuation of restraint order after quashed conviction
  42. 35Conditions for exercise of search and seizure powers
  43. 36Seized money etc
  44. Chapter 4: Disclosures, investigations, co-operation and enforcement
  45. 37Exemption from civil liability for money-laundering disclosures
  46. 38Confiscation investigations
  47. 39External orders and investigations: meaning of “obtaining property”
  48. 40Confiscation orders by magistrates' courts
  49. Part 2: Computer misuse
  50. 41Unauthorised acts causing, or creating risk of, serious damage
  51. 42Obtaining articles for purposes relating to computer misuse
  52. 43Territorial scope of computer misuse offence
  53. 44Savings
  54. Part 3: Organised, serious and gang-related crime
  55. Organised crime groups
  56. 45Offence of participating in activities of organised crime group
  57. Serious crime prevention orders
  58. 46Extension of Part 1 of Serious Crime Act 2007 to Scotland
  59. 47Serious crime prevention orders: meaning of “serious offence”
  60. 48Powers of Crown Court to replace orders on breach
  61. 49Extension of order where person charged
  62. 50Serious crime prevention orders and financial reporting etc
  63. 51Injunctions to prevent gang-related violence and drug-dealing activity
  64. Part 4: Seizure and forfeiture of drug-cutting agents
  65. Warrants
  66. 52Applications for search and seizure warrants
  67. 53Further provisions about search and seizure warrants
  68. 54Execution of search and seizure warrants
  69. Seizure
  70. 55Seizure of substances under search and seizure warrant
  71. 56Seizure of substances without search and seizure warrant
  72. 57Notice to be given where substances seized
  73. 58Containers
  74. Retention of seized substances
  75. 59Initial retention of seized substances
  76. 60Continued retention or return of seized substances
  77. Forfeiture etc or return of seized substances
  78. 61Forfeiture and disposal, or return, of seized substances
  79. 62Appeal against decision under section 61
  80. 63Return of substance to person entitled to it, or disposal if return impracticable
  81. Supplementary
  82. 64Compensation
  83. 65Interpretation etc
  84. Part 5: Protection of children and others
  85. Protection of children
  86. 69Possession of paedophile manual
  87. Female genital mutilation
  88. 70Offence of female genital mutilation: extra-territorial acts
  89. 71Anonymity for victims of female genital mutilation
  90. 72Offence of failing to protect girl from risk of genital mutilation
  91. 73Female genital mutilation protection orders
  92. 76AOffences under section 76 committed outside the United Kingdom
  93. 77Guidance about investigation of offences under section 76
  94. Part 6: Miscellaneous and general
  95. Miscellaneous
  96. 80APrevention or restriction of use of communication devices for drug dealing
  97. 81Preparation or training abroad for terrorism
  98. 82Approval of draft decisions under Article 352 of TFEU relating to serious crime Repealed
  99. 83Codes of practice about investigatory powers: journalistic sources Repealed
  100. 84Termination of pregnancy on grounds of sex of foetus
  101. General
  102. 85Minor and consequential amendments
  103. 86Transitional and saving provisions
  104. 87Extent
  105. 88Commencement
  106. 89Short title
  107. Schedule 1: Amendments of Serious Crime Act 2007: Scotland
  108. 1Paragraph 1
  109. 2Paragraph 2
  110. 3Paragraph 3
  111. 4Paragraph 4
  112. 5Paragraph 5
  113. 6Paragraph 6
  114. 7Paragraph 7
  115. 8Paragraph 8
  116. 9Paragraph 9
  117. 10Paragraph 10
  118. 11Paragraph 11
  119. 12Paragraph 12
  120. 13Paragraph 13
  121. 14Paragraph 14
  122. 15Paragraph 15
  123. 16Paragraph 16
  124. 17Paragraph 17
  125. 18Paragraph 18
  126. 19Paragraph 19
  127. 20Paragraph 20
  128. 21Paragraph 21
  129. 22Paragraph 22
  130. 23Paragraph 23
  131. 24Paragraph 24
  132. 25Paragraph 25
  133. 26Paragraph 26
  134. 27Paragraph 27
  135. 28Paragraph 28
  136. 29Paragraph 29
  137. 30Paragraph 30
  138. 31Paragraph 31
  139. Schedule 2: Execution of search and seizure warrants
  140. Persons who may execute warrant
  141. 1Paragraph 1
  142. Warrant to be executed within 3 months
  143. 2Paragraph 2
  144. All-premises warrants
  145. 3Paragraph 3
  146. Search of premises more than once
  147. 4Paragraph 4
  148. Time of search
  149. 5Paragraph 5
  150. Evidence of authority etc
  151. 6Paragraph 6
  152. Extent of search
  153. 7Paragraph 7
  154. Inspection of substances
  155. 8Paragraph 8
  156. Securing premises after entry
  157. 9Paragraph 9
  158. Endorsement of warrant
  159. 10Paragraph 10
  160. Return and retention of warrant
  161. 11Paragraph 11
  162. Interpretation etc
  163. 12Paragraph 12
  164. Schedule 3: Paedophile manuals: providers of information society services
  165. Interpretation of this Schedule
  166. 1Paragraph 1
  167. Domestic service providers: extension of liability
  168. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  169. Non-UK service providers: restriction on institution of proceedings
  170. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  171. Exception for mere conduits
  172. 4Paragraph 4
  173. Exception for caching
  174. 5Paragraph 5
  175. Exception for hosting
  176. 6Paragraph 6
  177. Schedule 4: Minor and consequential amendments
  178. Visiting Forces Act 1952 (c. 67)
  179. 1Paragraph 1
  180. Street Offences Act 1959 (c. 57)
  181. 2Paragraph 2
  182. Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (c. 19)
  183. 3Paragraph 3
  184. Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980 (c. 47)
  185. 4Paragraph 4
  186. Senior Courts Act 1981 (c. 54)
  187. 5Paragraph 5
  188. Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (c. 27)
  189. 6Paragraph 6
  190. Computer Misuse Act 1990 (c. 18)
  191. 7Paragraph 7
  192. 8Paragraph 8
  193. 9Paragraph 9
  194. 10Paragraph 10
  195. 11Paragraph 11
  196. 12Paragraph 12
  197. Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41)
  198. 13Paragraph 13
  199. Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 46)
  200. 14Paragraph 14
  201. 15Paragraph 15
  202. 16Paragraph 16
  203. Family Law Act 1996 (c. 27)
  204. 17Paragraph 17
  205. Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c. 23)
  206. 18Paragraph 18 Repealed
  207. Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (c. 29)
  208. 19Paragraph 19
  209. 20Paragraph 20
  210. 21Paragraph 21 Repealed
  211. 22Paragraph 22 Repealed
  212. 23Paragraph 23
  213. 24Paragraph 24
  214. 25Paragraph 25 Repealed
  215. 26Paragraph 26 Repealed
  216. 27Paragraph 27 Repealed
  217. 28Paragraph 28 Repealed
  218. 29Paragraph 29 Repealed
  219. 30Paragraph 30 Repealed
  220. 31Paragraph 31
  221. 32Paragraph 32
  222. 33Paragraph 33
  223. 34Paragraph 34
  224. 35Paragraph 35
  225. 36Paragraph 36
  226. 37Paragraph 37
  227. 38Paragraph 38
  228. 39Paragraph 39
  229. 40Paragraph 40
  230. 41Paragraph 41
  231. 42Paragraph 42
  232. 43Paragraph 43
  233. 44Paragraph 44
  234. 45Paragraph 45
  235. 46Paragraph 46
  236. 47Paragraph 47
  237. 48Paragraph 48
  238. 49Paragraph 49
  239. 50Paragraph 50
  240. 51Paragraph 51
  241. 52Paragraph 52
  242. 53Paragraph 53
  243. 54Paragraph 54
  244. 55Paragraph 55
  245. 56Paragraph 56
  246. 57Paragraph 57
  247. 58Paragraph 58
  248. 59Paragraph 59
  249. Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (c. 31)
  250. 60Paragraph 60
  251. Courts Act 2003 (c. 39)
  252. 61Paragraph 61
  253. Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42)
  254. 62Paragraph 62
  255. 63Paragraph 63
  256. 64Paragraph 64
  257. 65Paragraph 65
  258. 66Paragraph 66
  259. Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44)
  260. 67Paragraph 67
  261. 68Paragraph 68
  262. 69Paragraph 69 Repealed
  263. 70Paragraph 70
  264. Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15)
  265. 71Paragraph 71
  266. 72Paragraph 72
  267. 73Paragraph 73
  268. Terrorism Act 2006 (c. 11)
  269. 74Paragraph 74
  270. Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52)
  271. 75Paragraph 75
  272. Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27)
  273. 76Paragraph 76
  274. 77Paragraph 77
  275. 78Paragraph 78
  276. 79Paragraph 79
  277. 80Paragraph 80
  278. 81Paragraph 81
  279. 82Paragraph 82
  280. Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c. 26)
  281. 83Paragraph 83
  282. 84Paragraph 84
  283. 85Paragraph 85
  284. Crime and Security Act 2010 (c. 17)
  285. 86Paragraph 86
  286. Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10)
  287. 87Paragraph 87
  288. 88Paragraph 88
  289. Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 (c. 3)
  290. 89Paragraph 89
  291. Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (c. 12)
  292. 90Paragraph 90