Part 1 U.K.Espionage, sabotage and persons acting for foreign powers

Entering and inspecting places used for defence etc U.K.

4 Entering etc a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK U.K.

(1) A person commits an offence if—

(a) the person—

(i) accesses, enters, inspects, passes over or under, approaches or is in the vicinity of a prohibited place, or

(ii) causes an unmanned vehicle or device to access, enter, inspect, pass over or under, approach or be in the vicinity of a prohibited place, and

(b) that conduct is for a purpose that the person knows, or having regard to other matters known to them ought reasonably to know, is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.

(2) In subsection (1)(a) a reference to inspecting a prohibited place includes—

(a) taking, or procuring the taking of, photographs, videos or other recordings of the prohibited place;

(b) inspecting photographs, videos or other recordings of the prohibited place.

(3) For the purposes of this section, a person engages in conduct mentioned in subsection (1)(a) if the person does so in person or by electronic or remote means.

(4) Subsection (1) applies whether the person’s conduct takes place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.

(5) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years or a fine (or both).

(6) In this Part “vehicle” means any form of transport.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 4 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 100(1)

I2 S. 4 in force at 20.12.2023 by S.I. 2023/1272, reg. 2(a)