Part 3

Authorisations for obtaining communications data

Further and supplementary provision

Offence of making unauthorised disclosure
82
1
It is an offence for a telecommunications operator, or any person employed or engaged for the purposes of the business of a telecommunications operator, to disclose, without reasonable excuse, to any person the existence of—
a
any requirement imposed on the operator by virtue of this Part to disclose communications data relating to that person, or
b
any request made in pursuance of an authorisation for the operator to disclose such data.
2
For the purposes of subsection (1), it is, in particular, a reasonable excuse if the disclosure is made with the permission of the relevant public authority which is seeking to obtain the data from the operator (whether the permission is contained in any notice requiring the operator to disclose the data or otherwise).
3
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
a
on summary conviction in England and Wales—
i
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court (or 6 months, if the offence was committed before 2 May 2022), or
ii
to a fine,
or to both;
b
on summary conviction in Scotland—
i
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or
ii
to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum,
or to both;
c
on summary conviction in Northern Ireland—
i
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or
ii
to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum,
or to both;
d
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to a fine, or to both.
Words in s. 82(3)(a)(i) 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
S. 82 in force at 5.2.2019 by S.I. 2019/174, reg. 2(d)
Words in s. 82(3)(a)(i) 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