(1)Section 35 of the Army Act 1955 and section 35 of the Air Force Act 1955 (obstructing or refusing to assist any person known to be a provost officer, or to be a person exercising authority under or on behalf of a provost officer) shall each be amended by—
(a)substituting for the words from " any person known " to " or to be a person " the words " any provost officer, or any person ", and
(b)inserting the following proviso at the end—
“Provided that it shall be a defence for any person charged under this section to prove that he neither knew nor had reasonable cause to believe that the person in relation to whom the offence is alleged to have been committed was a provost officer or, as the case may be, a person legally exercising authority under or on behalf of a provost officer.”
(2)Section 14 of the [1957 c. 53.] Naval Discipline Act 1957 (wilfully obstructing or wilfully refusing to assist any provost officer, or any person exercising authority under or on behalf of a provost officer) shall be amended by omitting the word " wilfully " in both places where it occurs, and by inserting at the end a proviso similar in all respects to that set out in subsection (1)(b) above.