Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

Part VIII Offences and Penalties

Obstruction

36.—(1) A person shall not—

(a) intentionally obstruct any person acting in the execution or enforcement of these Regulations;

(b) without reasonable cause, fail to give to any person acting in the execution or enforcement of these Regulations any assistance or information which that person may reasonably require of him for the purposes of his functions under these Regulations;

(c) furnish to any person acting in the execution or enforcement of these Regulations any information which he knows to be false or misleading.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1)(b) shall be construed as requiring any person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate him.

Penalties

37.—(1) A person who contravenes regulation 36(1)(a) or (b) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.

(2) A person who contravenes any other provisions of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both;

(b) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.

Protection of officers acting in good faith

38.—(1) An officer of the Department or a district council is not personally liable in respect of any act done by him in the execution or proposed execution of these Regulations within the scope of his employment, if he did that act in the honest belief that his duty under these Regulations required or entitled him to do it.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed as relieving the Department or any district council from any liability in respect of acts of their officers.