Sheriffs Act 1887

27 Sale of offices prohibited

(1) A person shall not directly or indirectly by himself or by any person in trust for him or for his use buy, sell, let, or take to ferm the office of under-sheriff, deputy-sheriff, bailiff, or any other office or place appertaining to the office of sheriff, nor contract for, promise, or grant for any valuable consideration whatever any such office or place, nor give, promise, or receive any valuable consideration whatever for any such office or place.

(2) Any person who acts in contravention of this section, not being an under-sheriff, deputy-sheriff, bailiff or officer of a sheriff, shall be liable to the same punishment as if he were an under-sheriff, deputy-sheriff, bailiff, or officer.

(3) Provided that this section shall not prevent the sheriff or under-sheriff from demanding and taking the lawful fees and perquisites of the office of sheriff or of anyplace or employment belonging thereto, nor from taking security for duly answering for the same, and shall not prevent any officer of a sheriff from accounting to the sheriff for the fees and perquisites received by him in respect of his office, nor from giving security so to account, and shall not prevent a sheriff from giving nor an officer from receiving a salary or remuneration for the execution of his office.