PART 3

Powers for dealing with domestic abuse

Domestic abuse protection orders

Offences relating to notification
43
1
A person (“P”) commits an offence if P—
a
fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed by or under section 41, or
b
notifies the police, in purported compliance with such a requirement, of any information which P knows to be false.
2
A person who fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with section 42(5) commits an offence.
3
A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) is liable—
a
on summary conviction—
i
to imprisonment for a period not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court (or 6 months, if the offence was committed before the 2 May 2022), or
ii
to a fine,
or both;
b
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine, or both.
4
A person commits an offence under subsection (1)(a) on the day on which the person first fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed by or under section 41.
5
The person continues to commit the offence throughout any period during which the failure continues.
6
But the person may not be prosecuted more than once in respect of the same failure.
S. 43 in force at 28.4.2025 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 in relation to the specified areas by S.I. 2025/515, regs. 1(3)(e)(f), 2 (with reg. 3) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 4)
Words in s. 43(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. 43 in force at 11.3.2025 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 in relation to the specified areas by S.I. 2025/319, regs. 1(2)(f), 2, 3 (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 3)
S. 43 in force at 5.3.2025 until the end of the specified period on 26.11.2025 for E.W. in relation to the specified area by S.I. 2025/261, regs. 1(2)(f), 2, 3 (with reg. 4)
Words in s. 43(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
S. 43 in force at 27.11.2024 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 for E.W. in relation to specified areas by S.I. 2024/1191, regs. 1(2)(g), 2, 3(1) (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 2)
S. 43 in force at 27.11.2024 until the end of the specified period on 31.3.2026 in relation to E.W. by S.I. 2024/1191, regs. 1(2)(g), 2, 3(2)(g) (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 2)