A person who without reasonable excuse contravenes or fails to comply with any directions given under section 1 above shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable F1on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £25,000 and on conviction on indictment to a fineF1on summary conviction, or on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

It shall be a defence for a person charged under this section to show that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence.