Section 2 – Offence of smoking in no-smoking premises
7.Subsection (1) makes it an offence for a person to smoke in no-smoking premises.
8.Subsection (2) provides that it is a defence if the person accused of smoking can prove that they did not know, and could not reasonably be expected to have known, that the premises in which they were smoking were no-smoking premises. This might arise in instances where, for example, no-smoking signs had been removed or had failed to be displayed. The onus is however on the accused to prove this.
9.Subsection (3) provides that the offence of smoking in no-smoking premises is subject to a maximum penalty on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently £1000).