Offences by partnerships and unincorporated associations
37.—(1) Proceedings for an offence under these Regulations alleged to have been committed by a partnership or an unincorporated association may be brought against the partnership or association in the name of the partnership or association.
(2) For the purposes of such proceedings—
(a)rules of court relating to the service of documents are to have effect as if the partnership or association were a body corporate; and
(b)section 33 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925(1) and Schedule 3 to the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980(2) apply in relation to the partnership or association as they apply in relation to a body corporate.
(3) A fine imposed on a partnership or association on its conviction of an offence under these Regulations is to be paid out of the funds of the partnership or association.
(4) Where an offence under these Regulations committed by a partnership is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, a partner, that partner (as well as the partnership) is guilty of the offence and is liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
(5) For these purposes, “partner” (“partner”) includes a person purporting to act as a partner.
(6) If an offence under these Regulations committed by an unincorporated association is proved—
(a)to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or
(b)to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, an officer of the association,
the officer, as well as the association, is guilty of the offence and is liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
(7) In paragraph (6), “officer” (“swyddog”), in relation to an unincorporated association, means—
(a)an officer of the association or a member of its governing body, or
(b)a person purporting to act in such capacity.
1925 c. 86. Subsections (1), (2) and (5) of section 33 were repealed by the Magistrates’ Court Act 1952 (c. 55), section 132 and Schedule 6; subsection (3) was amended by the Courts Act 1971 (c. 23), section 56(1) and Schedule 8, Part 2, paragraph 19; subsection (4) was amended by the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), section 109(1) and (3), Schedule 8, paragraph 71 and Schedule 10.
1980 c. 43. Paragraph 2(a) of Schedule 3 was amended by the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (c. 25), section 47, Schedule 1, paragraph 13, and was repealed by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), sections 41 and 332, Schedule 3, Part 2, paragraph 51(1) and (13)(a), and Schedule 37, Part 4 (with effect from a date to be appointed); paragraph 5 was repealed by the Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53), sections 25(2) and 101(2) and Schedule 13; paragraph 6 was repealed by the Criminal Justice Act 2003, section 41, Schedule 3, Part 2, paragraph 51(1) and (13)(b) (with effect from a date to be appointed).