Summary proceedings: time limit for proceedings
10.—(1) An information relating to an offence under these Regulations may be tried by a magistrates’ court in England and Wales if it is laid—
(a)within three years beginning with the day after the commission of the offence, and
(b)within twelve months beginning with the day after the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Secretary of State (as the case may be) to justify the proceedings comes to that person’s knowledge.
(2) Summary proceedings in Scotland for an offence under these Regulations—
(a)must not be commenced after the expiration of three years beginning with the day after the commission of the offence;
(b)subject to that, may be commenced at any time—
(i)within twelve months beginning with the day after the date on which evidence sufficient in the Lord Advocate’s opinion to justify the proceedings came to the knowledge of the Lord Advocate, or
(ii)where such evidence was reported to the Lord Advocate by the Secretary of State, within twelve months beginning with the day after the date on which it came to the knowledge of the Secretary of State.
(3) Section 136(3) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995(1) (date when proceedings deemed to be commenced) applies for the purposes of this regulation as for the purposes of that section.
(4) A magistrates’ court in Northern Ireland has jurisdiction to hear and determine a complaint charging the commission of an offence under these Regulations provided that the complaint is made—
(a)within three years beginning with the day after the commission of the offence, and
(b)within twelve months beginning with the day after the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland or the Secretary of State (as the case may be) to justify the proceedings comes to that person’s knowledge.
(5) For the purposes of this regulation a certificate of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Lord Advocate, the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland or the Secretary of State (as the case may be) as to the date on which evidence came to that person’s knowledge is conclusive evidence.