Broadcasting Act 1990

4 (1) Proceedings for an offence under section 2 of the 1959 Act for publishing an obscene article shall not be instituted except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions in any case where—

(a) the relevant publication, or

(b) the only other publication which followed from the relevant publication,

took place in the course of the inclusion of a programme in a programme service; and in this sub-paragraph “the relevant publication” means the publication in respect of which the defendant would be charged if the proceedings were brought.

(2) Proceedings for an offence under section 2 of the 1959 Act for having an obscene article for publication for gain shall not be instituted except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions in any case where—

(a) the relevant publication, or

(b) the only other publication which could reasonably have been expected to follow from the relevant publication,

was to take place in the course of the inclusion of a programme in a programme service; and in this sub-paragraph “the relevant publication” means the publication which, if the proceedings were brought, the defendant would be alleged to have had in contemplation.

(3) Without prejudice to the duty of a court to make an order for the forfeiture of an article under section 1(4) of the [1964 c. 74.] Obscene Publications Act 1964 (orders on conviction), in a case where by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) above proceedings under section 2 of the 1959 Act for having an article for publication for gain could not be instituted except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions, no order for the forfeiture of the article shall be made under section 3 of the 1959 Act (power of search and seizure) unless the warrant under which the article was seized was issued on an information laid by or on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.