Section 16: Meaning of “relevant offender”
79.Subsections (1) to (3) define a relevant offender for the purposes of section 15. A relevant offender includes a person convicted, made the subject of a finding or cautioned for a slavery or human trafficking offence in any part of the United Kingdom, and also a person convicted etc. in relation to an equivalent offence outside the United Kingdom (defined in subsections (4) to (5)). Where an application is made in respect of an equivalent offence, it is open to the person in respect of whom the application is made to challenge whether the offence he or she has been convicted of is an equivalent offence. They can do this by serving a notice on the applicant setting out the grounds for such a challenge (subsection (6)), or without serving such a notice if the court permits. Subsection (7) provides that references in this section to convictions etc. including those taking place before its commencement.