Part II

Licensing and Regulation—Particular Activities

Licensing and regulation of knife dealers

Powers of constables and authorised officers
27F
1
A constable or an authorised officer may use reasonable force in executing a warrant granted under section 27E(2).
2
Where a constable who is not in uniform is about to enter, is entering or has entered any premises under the powers conferred under section 27E(2) he must, if required to do so by a person in or upon the premises, produce his identification.
3
Where an authorised officer is about to enter, is entering or has entered any premises under the powers conferred under section 27E(2) he must, if required to do so by a person in or upon the premises, produce his authorisation.
4
If a constable has been required to produce his identification under subsection (2) he is not entitled to enter or search the premises or, as the case may be, remain there or continue to search the premises until he has produced it.
5
If an authorised officer has been required to produce his authority under subsection (3), he is not entitled to enter or search the premises or, as the case may be, remain there or continue to search the premises until he has produced it.
6
Any person who—
a
fails without reasonable excuse to permit a constable, or an authorised officer, acting in pursuance of a warrant granted under section 27E(2) to enter and search any premises; or
b
obstructs the entry to, or search of, any premises by a constable or an authorised officer so acting,
is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
7
Any relevant article which has been seized and removed under a warrant granted under section 27E(2) may be retained until the conclusion of proceedings against the suspect.
8
For the purposes of subsection (7), proceedings in relation to a suspect are concluded if—
a
he is found guilty and sentenced or otherwise dealt with for the offence;
b
he is acquitted;
c
proceedings for the offence are discontinued;
d
it is decided not to prosecute him.
9
In this section, “
suspect
” is to be construed in accordance with section 27E(3).
Act partly in force at Royal Assent see s. 137(2); Act wholly in force at 1. 1. 1985 see S.I. 1983/201 as amended by S.I. 1984/573 and 744.
Act (except s. 16 which applies to England and Wales) applies to Scotland only see s. 137(9).
Act excluded (19. 12. 1991) by City of Edinburgh District Council Order Confirmation Act (c. xix), ss. 1, 12(2), Sch. Pt. V
Ss. 27A-27S and cross-heading inserted (1.11.2007 for specified purposes, 1.6.2009 for specified purposes, 1.9.2009 for specififed purposes, 1.6.2010 in so far as not already in force) by Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 17), ss. 58, 67(2); S.S.I. 2007/431, art. 3, sch., S.S.I. 2009/197, art. 2, Sch.