Offences due to default of third personN.I.
25.—(1) If in any case the defence provided by Article 24(1) involves an allegation that the commission of the offence in question was due to the act or default of another person or due to reliance on information supplied by another person, the person charged shall not, without the leave of the court, be entitled to rely on the defence unless, before the beginning of the period of seven days ending with the date when the hearing of the charge began, he served on the prosecution a notice giving such information identifying or assisting in the identification of the other person as was then in his possession.
(2) Where the commission by any person of an offence under this Part [F1(other than Article 22A)] or an instrument made under it is due to the act or default of some other person, the other person shall be guilty of the offence and may be charged with and convicted of the offence whether or not proceedings are taken against the first-mentioned person.
(3) Where by virtue of paragraph (2) a person is charged with an offence with which some other person might have been charged, the reference in Article 24(6) to articles or goods sold by or in the possession of the person charged shall be construed as a reference to articles or goods sold by or in the possession of that other person.
F1Words in art. 25(2) inserted (18.4.2016) by The Weights and Measures (Food) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016/187), regs. 1, 10