Summary proceedings in pursuance of section 1, 2 F2or 3 F2, 3, 4A, 4B or 4C(5) may be commenced at any time within the period of 6 months from the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the Lord Advocate to justify the proceedings comes to the Lord Advocate's knowledge.

Subsection (3) of section 136 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 46) (date of commencement of summary proceedings) has effect for the purposes of subsection (1) as it has effect for the purposes of that section.

For the purposes of subsection (1), a certificate of the Lord Advocate as to the date on which the evidence in question came to the Lord Advocate's knowledge is conclusive evidence of the date on which it did so.