Limitation
201.—(1) After section 27A of the Limitation Act 1980(1) there is inserted—
“Actions for recovery of property for purposes of an external order
27B—(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act applies to any proceedings under Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 (civil proceedings for the realisation of property to give effect to an external order).
(2) Proceedings under that Chapter for a recovery order in respect of any recoverable property shall not be brought after the expiration of the period of twelve years from the date on which the Director’s cause of action accrued.
(3) Proceedings under that Chapter are brought when—
(a)a claim form is issued, or
(b)an application is made for a property freezing order, or
(c)an application is made for an interim receiving order,
whichever is earliest.
(4) The Director’s cause of action accrues in respect of any recoverable property—
(a)in the case of proceedings for a recovery order in respect of property obtained, or believed to have been obtained, as a result of or in connection with criminal conduct, when the property is so obtained,
(b)in the case of proceedings for a recovery order in respect of any other recoverable property, when the property obtained, or believed to have been obtained, as a result of or in connection with criminal conduct which it represents is so obtained.
(5) If—
(a)a person would (but for the preceding provisions of this Act) have a cause of action in respect of the conversion of a chattel, and
(b)proceedings are started under that Chapter for a recovery order in respect of the chattel,
(c)section 3(2) of this Act does not prevent his asserting on an application under article 192 of that Order that the property belongs to him, or the court making a declaration in his favour under that article.
(6) If the court makes such a declaration, his title to the chattel is to be treated as not having been extinguished by section 3(2) of this Act.
(7) In this section—
(a)“criminal conduct” is to be construed in accordance with section 447(8) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and
(b)expressions used in this section which are also used in Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 have the same meaning in this section as in that Part.”.
(2) After section 19B of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973(2) there is inserted—
“Actions for recovery of property for the purposes of an external order
19C—(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act applies to any proceedings under Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 (civil proceedings for the realisation of property to give effect to an external order).
(2) Proceedings under that Chapter for a recovery order in respect of any recoverable property shall not be commenced after the expiration of the period of twelve years from the date on which the Scottish Ministers' right of action accrued.
(3) Proceedings under that Chapter are commenced when—
(a)the proceedings are served,
(b)an application is made for a prohibitory property order, or
(c)an application is made for an interim administration order,
whichever is the earliest.
(4) The Scottish Ministers' right of action accrues in respect of any recoverable property—
(a)in the case of proceedings for a recovery order in respect of property obtained, or believed to have been obtained, as a result of or in connection with criminal conduct, when the property is so obtained,
(b)in the case of proceedings for a recovery order in respect of any other recoverable property, when the property obtained, or believed to have been obtained, as a result of or in connection with criminal conduct which it represents is so obtained.
(5) In this section—
(a)“criminal conduct” is to be construed in accordance with section 447(8) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and
(b)expressions used in this section which are also used in Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 have the same meaning in this section as in that Part.”.
(3) After Article 72A of the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989(3) there is inserted—
“Actions for recovery of property for purposes of an external order
72B—(1) None of the time limits fixed by Parts 2 and 3 of this Order applies to any proceedings under Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 (civil proceedings for the realisation of property to give effect to an external order).
(2) Proceedings under that Chapter for a recovery order in respect of any recoverable property shall not be brought after the expiration of the period of twelve years from the date on which the Director’s cause of action accrued.
(3) Proceedings under that Chapter are brought when—
(a)a claim form is issued, or
(b)an application is made for a property freezing order, or
(c)an application is made for an interim receiving order,
whichever is earliest.
(4) The Director’s cause of action accrues in respect of any recoverable property—
(a)in the case of proceedings for a recovery order in respect of property obtained, or believed to have been obtained, as a result of or in connection with criminal conduct, when the property is so obtained,
(b)in the case of proceedings for a recovery order in respect of any other recoverable property, when the property obtained, or believed to have been obtained, as a result of or in connection with criminal conduct which it represents is so obtained.
(5) If—
(a)a person would (but for a time limit fixed by this Order) have a cause of action in respect of the conversion of a chattel, and
(b)proceedings are started under that Chapter for a recovery order in respect of the chattel,
Article 17(2) of this Order does not prevent his asserting on an application under article 192 of that Order that the property belongs to him, or the court making a declaration in his favour under that article.
(6) If the court makes such a declaration, his title to the chattel is to be treated as not having been extinguished by Article 17(2) of this Order.
(7) In this Article—
(a)“criminal conduct” is to be construed in accordance with section 447(8) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and
(b)expressions used in this Article which are also used in Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 have the same meaning in this Article as in that Part.”
1980 c. 58; section 27A was inserted by section 288(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
1973 c. 52; section 19B was inserted by section 288(2) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
S.I. 1989/1339 (N.I. 11); Article 72A was inserted by section 288(3) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.