Domestic Abuse Act 2021

4 (1) Section 11 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (certain offences committed outside Scotland) is amended as follows. S

(2) In subsections (1) and (2), for “British citizen or British subject” substitute “ relevant person ”.

(3) After subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) Any relevant person who in a country outside the United Kingdom does any act which—

(a) constitutes an offence under the law in force in that country, and

(b) if done in Scotland would constitute the crime of assault,

is guilty of the same crime and subject to the same punishment as if the act had been done in Scotland.

(2B) For the purposes of subsection (2A)(a), an act punishable under the law in force in the country is an offence under that law however it is described in that law.

(2C) The condition specified in subsection (2A)(a) is to be taken as satisfied unless, not later than such time as may be prescribed by Act of Adjournal, the accused serves on the prosecutor a notice—

(a) stating that, on the facts as alleged with respect to the act in question, the condition is not in the accused's opinion satisfied,

(b) setting out the grounds for the accused's opinion, and

(c) requiring the prosecutor to prove that the condition is satisfied.

(2D) But the court, if it thinks fit, may permit the accused to require the prosecutor to prove that the condition is satisfied without the prior service of a notice under subsection (2C).

(2E) In proceedings on indictment, the question whether the condition is satisfied is to be determined by the judge alone.

(2F) For the purposes of subsections (1) to (2B)—

• “country” includes territory;

• “relevant person” means a person who is a United Kingdom national or is habitually resident in Scotland;

• “United Kingdom national” means an individual who is—

  (a)

  a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British National (Overseas) or a British Overseas citizen,

  (b)

  a person who under the British Nationality Act 1981 is a British subject, or

  (c)

  a British protected person within the meaning of that Act.”