254.—(1) A reference in this Section to “protected information” means information which has been—
(a)obtained by the regulator or an inspector under this Part, or
(b)shared with any of the persons listed in regulation 253(1).
(2) Information is not protected information for the purposes of this Section if it has been disclosed or made available to the public lawfully from other sources.
255. Protected information must not be disclosed except in accordance with Section 2 of this Chapter.
256. It is an offence for a person to disclose information in contravention of regulation 255.
257. It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under regulation 256 to prove—
(a)that the person did not know, and had no reason to suspect, that the information disclosed was protected information, or
(b)that the person took all reasonable precautions, and exercised all due diligence, to avoid committing the offence.
258. A person guilty of an offence under regulation 256 is liable—
(a)on summary conviction in England and Wales, to a fine;
(b)on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;
(c)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.