Forfeiture ordersN.I.
4.—(1) If a person is convicted of an offence under Article 3(1) in respect of animals of a particular description, the court may make a forfeiture order in respect of any animals of that description which are kept by that person when the order is made or which come into his keeping during the relevant period.
(2) If a person is convicted of an offence under Article 3(2) in respect of animals of a particular description kept by another person, the court may make a forfeiture order in respect of any animals of that description which are kept by that other person when the order is made or which come into his keeping during the relevant period.
(3) For the purposes of this Order, a forfeiture order is an order for the forfeiture and destruction or other disposal of the animals to which the order applies (including any subsequent progeny of those animals).
(4) The court may make a forfeiture order whether or not it also deals with the offender in respect of the offence in any other way.
(5) Where—
(a)the court proposes to make a forfeiture order; and
(b)a person claiming to have an interest in the animals concerned applies to be heard by the court,
the court shall not make the order unless the person has been given the opportunity to show cause why the order should not be made.
(6) In this Article “relevant period” means the period beginning with the making of the forfeiture order and ending with the destruction or other disposal of the animals in pursuance of the order.