Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Act 2026
An Act of Senedd Cymru to prohibit greyhound racing in Wales.
Having been passed by Senedd Cymru and having received the assent of His Majesty, it is enacted as follows:
Prohibition of greyhound racing
1Prohibition of greyhound racing
(1)
A person commits an offence if a person—
(a)
is an operator of a stadium or similar venue in Wales and uses it, or knowingly permits it to be used, for greyhound racing, or
(b)
is involved in organising greyhound racing that—
(i)
takes place in Wales, or
(ii)
is intended to take place in Wales.
(2)
A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine.
2Interpretation
In this Act—
(a)
“greyhound racing” means setting greyhounds to run around a track in pursuit of a lure activated by mechanical means (and this includes timing or training a greyhound as it runs around a track);
(b)
“operator” (in relation to a stadium or similar venue) means—
(i)
the owner of the stadium or venue;
(ii)
the person, other than the owner, with overall responsibility for the operation of the stadium or venue or, if that person is not present in the United Kingdom, the person in the United Kingdom responsible for the operation of the stadium or venue.
3Offences by bodies corporate etc.
Schedule 1 makes provision about offences under section 1 committed by bodies corporate, partnerships and unincorporated associations other than partnerships.
Enforcement
4Enforcement of prohibition of greyhound racing
Schedule 2 makes provision about enforcing offences under section 1.
General
5Post-legislative review
(1)
The Welsh Ministers must—
(a)
carry out a review of the operation and effect of, and the compliance with, this Act, and
(b)
publish, in such manner as they consider appropriate, a report on the review.
(2)
The review must be completed before the end of the period of 3 years beginning with the day on which section 1 comes into force.
6Coming into force
(1)
This section and section 7 come into force on the day after the day on which this Act receives Royal Assent.
(2)
The remaining provisions of this Act come into force on a day appointed by the Welsh Ministers in an order made by Welsh statutory instrument, but they must be brought into force on a day that is—
(a)
no sooner than 1 April 2027, and
(b)
no later than 1 April 2030.
7Short title
This Act may be referred to as—
(a)
the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Act 2026, or
(b)
Deddf Gwahardd Rasio Milgwn (Cymru) 2026.
SCHEDULE 1OFFENCES BY BODIES CORPORATE ETC.
Commission of offences
1
(1)
This paragraph applies where an offence under section 1 is committed by—
(a)
a body corporate;
(b)
a partnership;
(c)
an unincorporated association other than a partnership.
(2)
A person mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) also commits the offence if the offence is proved to have been—
(a)
committed by, or with the consent or connivance of, that person, or
(b)
attributable to any neglect on the part of that person.
(3)
The persons are—
(a)
in relation to a body corporate, a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate;
(b)
in relation to a partnership, a partner in the partnership;
(c)
in relation to an unincorporated association other than a partnership, any officer of the association or any member of its governing body.
(4)
In sub-paragraph (3)(a) “director” in relation to a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members means a member of the body corporate.
(5)
In this Act, “partnership” means—
(a)
a partnership within the Partnership Act 1890 (c. 39), or
(b)
a limited partnership registered under the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 (c. 24).
Proceedings: partnerships and unincorporated associations
2
(1)
Proceedings for an offence under section 1 alleged to have been committed by a partnership are to be brought in the name of the partnership (and not in that of any of the partners).
(2)
Proceedings for an offence under section 1 alleged to have been committed by an unincorporated association other than a partnership are to be brought in the name of the association (and not in that of any of its members).
(3)
Rules of court relating to the service of documents have effect as if the partnership or unincorporated association were a body corporate.
(4)
Section 33 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 (c. 86) and Schedule 3 to the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (c. 43) apply in proceedings for an offence brought against a partnership or an unincorporated association as they apply in relation to a body corporate.
SCHEDULE 2POWERS OF ENFORCEMENT
Interpretation
1
In this Schedule—
“inspector” (“arolygydd”) means a person appointed as an inspector for the purposes of this Act by—
(a)
a county council or county borough council in Wales, or
(b)
the Welsh Ministers;
“power of entry” (“pŵer mynediad”) means a power of entry conferred on an inspector by—
(a)
paragraph 2 (power to enter premises other than dwellings), or
(b)
a warrant under paragraph 3 (warrant to enter a dwelling);
“premises” (“mangre”) includes a vehicle, and a reference to the occupier of premises that are a vehicle is a reference to the person who appears to be in charge of the vehicle.
Power to enter premises other than dwellings
2
(1)
An inspector may enter any premises if the inspector has reasonable grounds for suspecting that—
(a)
an offence under section 1 is being, has been or is about to be committed on the premises, or
(b)
evidence an offence under section 1 is being, has been or is about to be committed may be found on the premises.
(2)
But this does not apply in relation to premises used wholly or mainly as a dwelling.
Warrant to enter a dwelling
3
(1)
An inspector may not enter any premises used wholly or mainly as a dwelling unless—
(a)
the occupier of the premises or other person appearing to the inspector to be in charge of the premises consents, or
(b)
a justice of the peace has issued a warrant, on the application of an inspector, authorising the inspector to enter the premises.
(2)
A justice of the peace may issue a warrant if satisfied on sworn information in writing that—
(a)
there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that—
(i)
an offence under section 1 is being, has been or is about to be committed on the premises, or
(ii)
evidence an offence under section 1 is being, has been or is about to be committed may be found on the premises, and
(b)
any of conditions 1, 2, 3 or 4 is met.
(3)
Condition 1 is that—
(a)
a request to enter the premises has been refused or is likely to be refused, and
(b)
notice of the intention to apply for a warrant has been given to the occupier of the premises or to a person appearing to the inspector to be in charge of the premises.
(4)
Condition 2 is that requesting to enter the premises or giving notice of intention to apply for a warrant under this paragraph might defeat the object of the entry.
(5)
Condition 3 is that the premises are unoccupied.
(6)
Condition 4 is that—
(a)
the occupier of the premises is temporarily absent, and
(b)
it might defeat the object of entry to wait for the occupier’s return.
4
A warrant issued under paragraph 3—
(a)
authorises entry on one occasion;
(b)
must be executed within 28 days beginning with the date it was issued.
Entering premises
5
(1)
An inspector exercising a power of entry must, if asked by a person on the premises—
(a)
show evidence of the inspector’s identity, and
(b)
outline the purpose for which the power is exercised.
(2)
Where an inspector enters premises under a warrant issued under paragraph 3, the inspector must also—
(a)
if asked by a person on the premises, show a copy of the warrant, and
(b)
if asked by the occupier or a person appearing to the inspector to be in charge of the premises, give a copy of the warrant to that person.
(3)
If neither the occupier nor a person appearing to the inspector to be in charge of the premises is present—
(a)
the inspector must leave a copy of the warrant in a prominent place on the premises, and
(b)
on leaving the premises, the inspector must leave them as effectively secured against unauthorised entry as when the inspector found them.
6
An inspector exercising a power of entry must do so at a reasonable hour unless it appears to the inspector that the purpose of entry would be frustrated by entry at a reasonable hour.
7
An inspector exercising a power of entry may use reasonable force to enter the premises if necessary.
8
An inspector exercising a power of entry may take—
(a)
such other persons onto the premises as appear to the inspector to be appropriate, and
(b)
such equipment and materials onto the premises as appear to the inspector to be appropriate.
Powers of inspection etc.
9
An inspector exercising a power of entry may—
(a)
search the premises;
(b)
question any person on the premises;
(c)
require any person on the premises to give the inspector such assistance as the inspector may reasonably require;
(d)
take a photograph or video recording of anything that is found on the premises;
(e)
require any person on the premises to produce any document or record in whatever form it is held that is in the person’s possession or control;
(f)
take copies of or extracts from any document or record found on the premises in whatever form it is held;
(g)
require information that is stored in an electronic form and is accessible from the premises to be produced in a form in which it can be taken away and in which it is visible and legible or from which it can readily be produced in a visible and legible form;
(h)
seize any item, except a dog, that is found on the premises and that the inspector reasonably believes to be evidence of the commission of an offence under section 1.
10
A person taken onto the premises under paragraph 8(a) may exercise any power conferred on an inspector by paragraph 9 if the person is under the supervision of the inspector.
Power of seizure: supplementary
11
(1)
Any item seized under paragraph 9(h) may be retained for so long as is necessary.
(2)
A person who seizes anything under paragraph 9(h) must—
(a)
keep a record of the item seized, and
(b)
provide a record of the item seized if requested to do so by a person who occupied the premises at the time of the seizure or who had possession or control of the item immediately before it was seized.
(3)
Paragraph 9(h) does not include power to seize any item in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.
Obstruction etc
12
(1)
A person commits an offence if—
(a)
the person fails without reasonable excuse to comply with a requirement for assistance reasonably made under paragraph 9(c);
(b)
the person intentionally obstructs another in the exercise of a function under this Schedule.
(2)
A person guilty of an offence under this paragraph is liable on summary conviction to a fine.
Liability of inspectors
13
(1)
An inspector is not liable in any civil or criminal proceedings for anything done in the purported performance of the inspector’s functions under this Schedule if the court is satisfied that the act was done in good faith and that there were reasonable grounds for doing it.
(2)
Sub-paragraph (1) applies to any person taken onto premises by an inspector under paragraph 8(a) as it applies to an inspector if the person is under the supervision of the inspector.