Part VIII Miscellaneous and general

Offences

66 Assaults on, and obstruction of, constables, etc.

(1)

Any person who assaults, resists, obstructs or impedes a constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a constable in the execution of his duty, shall be guilty of an offence.

F1(1A)

Any person who assaults, resists, obstructs or impedes a designated person in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a designated person in the execution of his duty, shall be guilty of an offence.

(2)

A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1)F2or (1A) shall be liable—

(a)

on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;

(b)

on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to a fine, or to both.

F3(3)

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F4(3A)

In subsection (1A) the references to the execution of the duty of a designated person are to—

(a)

the exercise of a power conferred on him by his designation;

(b)

the performance of a duty imposed on him by his designation.

(3B)

In this section “ designated person ” means a person designated under section 30F5, 30A or 31 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003.

(4)

This section also applies to a constable who is a member of a police force in Great Britain when he is executing a warrant, or otherwise acting in Northern Ireland, by virtue of any statutory provision conferring powers on him in Northern Ireland.

F6(5)

In this section references to a person assisting a constable in the execution of his duty include references to any person who is neither a constable nor in the company of a constable but who—

(a)

is a member of an international joint investigation team that is led by a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and

(b)

is carrying out his functions as a member of that team.

(6)

In this section “ international joint investigation team ” means any investigation team formed in accordance with—

F7(a)

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F7(b)

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(c)

any international agreement to which the United Kingdom is a party and which is specified for the purposes of this section in an order made by the F8Department of Justice.

F9(7)

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