OpenLegislation

Serious Crime Act 2015 in Scotland

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
Sch. 4 para. 48omittedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 33
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)
s. 69(8)words omittedCrime and Policing Act 2026 s. 75(4)

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  5. 3Appeals Repealed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