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Inquiries Act 2005
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35OffencesU.K.
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes
(1)A person is guilty of an offence if he fails without reasonable excuse to do anything that he is required to do by a notice under section 21.
(2)A person is guilty of an offence if during the course of an inquiry he does anything that is intended to have the effect of—
(a)distorting or otherwise altering any evidence, document or other thing that is given, produced or provided to the inquiry panel, or
(b)preventing any evidence, document or other thing from being given, produced or provided to the inquiry panel,
or anything that he knows or believes is likely to have that effect.
(3)A person is guilty of an offence if during the course of an inquiry—
(a)he intentionally suppresses or conceals a document that is, and that he knows or believes to be, a relevant document, or
(b)he intentionally alters or destroys any such document.
For the purposes of this subsection a document is a “relevant document” if it is likely that the inquiry panel would (if aware of its existence) wish to be provided with it.
(4)A person does not commit an offence under subsection (2) or (3) by doing anything that he is authorised or required to do—
(a)by the inquiry panel, or
(b)by virtue of section 22 or any privilege that applies.
(5)Proceedings in England and Wales or in Northern Ireland for an offence under subsection (1) may be instituted only by the chairman.
(6)Proceedings for an offence under subsection (2) or (3) may be instituted—
(a)in England and Wales, only by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions;
(b)in Northern Ireland, only by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.
(7)A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level three on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the relevant maximum, or to both.
(8)“The relevant maximum” is—
(a)in England and Wales, 51 weeks;
(b)in Scotland and Northern Ireland, six months.
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