The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Defences

148.—(1) Where a person is charged with the commission of an offence under Article 147(1) and it is proved—

(a)that the commission of the offence was due to an act or default of some other person; and

(b)that the person charged took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence by him or any person under his control,

then, subject to paragraph (2), the person charged shall be acquitted of the offence.

(2) The person charged as described in paragraph (1) shall not be entitled to be acquitted under that paragraph unless not more than 14 days after the date of the service of the summons on him nor less than seven days before the date of the hearing he has given notice in writing to the complainant of his intention to rely on the provisions of that paragraph, specifying the name and address of the person to whose act or default he alleges the commission of the offence was due, and has sent a like notice to that person; and that person shall be entitled to appear at the hearing and to give evidence.

(3) In any proceedings for an offence under Article 147(2) alleged to have been committed by causing, procuring or allowing a child to take part in a performance without a licence in contravention of Article 137, it shall be a defence to prove that the person charged believed that the condition specified in Article 137(3)(a) was satisfied and that he had reasonable grounds for that belief.