Section 104: Assaults on members of teams
522.The purpose of this section is to provide, in accordance with obligations under international agreements to which the United Kingdom is a party, that members of international joint investigation teams from abroad are treated in the same way as constables while in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with respect to offences committed against them.
523.This section inserts new subsections into section 89 of the 1996 Act, section 41 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 and section 66 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 to provide that just as it is already an offence to assault or obstruct a constable or a person assisting a constable in the execution of his duty, it shall also be an offence to assault or obstruct members of international joint investigation teams carrying out the team’s functions. This would apply whether or not the team member from abroad was in the company of a constable.
524.In as far as this section amends the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, it comes into force on the days that Scottish Ministers will specify by order (see section 108(5)).