Companies Act 1985

448 Entry and search of premises

(1) The following applies if a justice of the peace is satisfied on information on oath laid by an officer of the Secretary of State, or laid under the Secretary of State's authority, that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that there are on any premises any books or papers of which production has been required under section 447 and which have not been produced in compliance with that requirement.

(2) The justice may issue a warrant authorising any constable, together with any other persons named in the warrant and any other constables, to enter the premises specified in the information (using such force as is reasonably necessary for the purpose) and to search the premises and take possession of any books or papers appearing to be such books or papers as are mentioned above, or to take, in relation to any books or papers so appearing, any other steps which may appear to be necessary for preserving them and preventing interference with them.

(3) A warrant so issued continues in force until the end of one month after the date on which it is issued.

(4) Any books or papers of which possession is taken under this section may be retained—

(a) for a period of 3 months, or

(b) if within that period there are commenced any such criminal proceedings as are mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b) of the next following section (being proceedings to which the books or papers are relevant), until the conclusion of those proceedings.

(5) A person who obstructs the exercise of a right of entry or search conferred by a warrant issued under this section, or who obstructs the exercise of a right so conferred to take possession of any books or papers, is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine.

Sections 732 (restriction on prosecutions) and 733(2) and (4) (liability of individuals for corporate default) apply to this offence.

(6) In the application of this section to Scotland, the reference to a justice of the peace includes the sheriff and a magistrate.