8Attendance at a place used for terrorist trainingU.K.
(1)A person commits an offence if—
(a)he attends at any place, whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere;
(b)while he is at that place, instruction or training of the type mentioned in section 6(1) of this Act or section 54(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000 (c. 11) (weapons training) is provided there;
(c)that instruction or training is provided there wholly or partly for purposes connected with the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism or Convention offences; and
(d)the requirements of subsection (2) are satisfied in relation to that person.
(2)The requirements of this subsection are satisfied in relation to a person if—
(a)he knows or believes that instruction or training is being provided there wholly or partly for purposes connected with the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism or Convention offences; or
(b)a person attending at that place throughout the period of that person's attendance could not reasonably have failed to understand that instruction or training was being provided there wholly or partly for such purposes.
(3)It is immaterial for the purposes of this section—
(a)whether the person concerned receives the instruction or training himself; and
(b)whether the instruction or training is provided for purposes connected with one or more particular acts of terrorism or Convention offences, acts of terrorism or Convention offences of a particular description or acts of terrorism or Convention offences generally.
(4)A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—
(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F114] years or to a fine, or to both;
(b)on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F2the general limit in a magistrates’ court] or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;
(c)on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both.
(5)In relation to an offence committed before [F32 May 2022], the reference in subsection (4)(b) to [F4the general limit in a magistrates’ court] is to be read as a reference to 6 months.
(6)References in this section to instruction or training being provided include references to its being made available.
Textual Amendments
F1Word in s. 8(4)(a) substituted (29.6.2021) by Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 (c. 11), ss. 26(2), 50(2)(m) (with s. 26(3))
F2Words in s. 8(4)(b) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1
F3Words in s. 8(5) substituted (28.4.2022) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/500), regs. 1(2), 5(1), Sch. Pt. 1
F4Words in s. 8(5) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1
Commencement Information
I1S. 8 in force at 13.4.2006 by S.I. 2006/1013, art. 2(2)(a)