41.—(1) Notwithstanding section 127(1) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980(1), a magistrates’ court may try any information relating to an offence under these Regulations if the information is laid—
(a)before the end of the period of three years beginning with the date of the commission of the offence; and
(b)before the end of the period of six months beginning with the date on which evidence which the prosecutor thinks is sufficient to justify the proceedings comes to the prosecutor’s knowledge.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)—
(a)a certificate signed by or on behalf of the prosecutor and stating the date on which such evidence came to the prosecutor’s knowledge is conclusive evidence of that fact; and
(b)a certificate stating that matter and purporting to be so signed is treated as so signed unless the contrary is proved.