Contempt of Court Act 1981

14(1)In any case where a court has power to commit a person to prison for contempt of court and (apart from this provision) no limitation applies to the period of commital, the committal shall (without prejudice to the power of the court to order his earlier discharge) be for a fixed term, and that term shall not on any occasion exceed two years in the case of committal by a superior court, or one month in the case of committal by an inferior court.

(2)In any case where an inferior court has power to fine a person for contempt of court and (apart from this provision) no limit applies to the amount of the fine, the fine shall not on any occasion exceed £500.

(3)Section 72 of the [1968 c. 34 (N.I.).] Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 shall be amended by inserting the words " for contempt of court or " after " prison " in subsection (2), and after " such a centre " in subsection (3).

(4)Each of the superior courts shall have the like power to make a hospital order or guardianship order under section 48 of the [1961 c. 15 (N.I.).] Mental Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1961 in the case of a person suffering from mental disorder who could otherwise be committed to prison for contempt of court as the Crown Court has under that section in the case of a person convicted of an offence.

(5)In subsections (1) and (2) of section 20 of the [1959 c. 15 (N.I.).] Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959, for the words " ten pounds " there shall be substituted " £200 " and in section 34 of that Act for the words " twenty-five pounds " there shall be substituted " £500 ".

(6)In section 122 of the [1964 c. 21 (N.I.).] Magistrates' Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1964, in subsection (1), for the words " eight days " there shall be substituted " one month ", and at the end of the subsection there shall be added the words " or impose on him a fine not exceeding £500, or both " ; and subsection (3) is repealed.

(7)In Article 55 of the [S.I. 1980/397 (N.I. 3).] County Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1980, in paragraph (2), for the words " not exceeding £50 " there shall be substituted " not exceeding £500 " and for the words " any period " there shall be substituted " a specified period ".