Armed Forces Act 2006

31 Hazarding of ship U.K.

(1) A person subject to service law commits an offence if he does an act that causes the hazarding of any of Her Majesty's ships and—

(a) he intends to cause damage to or the stranding or loss of the ship, and there is no lawful excuse for his act; or

(b) he is reckless as to whether he causes damage to or the stranding or loss of the ship.

(2) A person subject to service law commits an offence if, negligently, he does an act that causes the hazarding of any of Her Majesty's ships.

(3) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “act” includes an omission and references to the doing of an act are to be read accordingly;

(b) references to causing include allowing;

(c) “Her Majesty's ships” means all ships belonging to or used for the purposes of any of Her Majesty's forces.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable to any punishment mentioned in the Table in section 164, and any sentence of imprisonment imposed in respect of the offence—

(a) in the case of an offence under subsection (1), may be for life;

(b) in the case of an offence under subsection (2), must not exceed two years.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 31 in force at 28.3.2009 for specified purposes by S.I. 2009/812, art. 3(a)(b) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059)

I2 S. 31 in force at 31.10.2009 in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4