Part 5Miscellaneous
Protection of activities of certain organisations
146Intimidation of persons connected with animal research organisation
1
A person (A) commits an offence if, with the intention of causing a second person (B) to abstain from doing something which B is entitled to do (or to do something which B is entitled to abstain from doing)—
a
A threatens B that A or somebody else will do a relevant act, and
b
A does so wholly or mainly because B is a person falling within subsection (2).
2
A person falls within this subsection if he is—
a
an employee or officer of an animal research organisation;
b
a student at an educational establishment that is an animal research organisation;
c
a lessor or licensor of any premises occupied by an animal research organisation;
d
a person with a financial interest in, or who provides financial assistance to, an animal research organisation;
e
a customer or supplier of an animal research organisation;
f
a person who is contemplating becoming someone within paragraph (c), (d) or (e);
g
a person who is, or is contemplating becoming, a customer or supplier of someone within paragraph (c), (d), (e) or (f);
h
an employee or officer of someone within paragraph (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g);
i
a person with a financial interest in, or who provides financial assistance to, someone within paragraph (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g);
j
a spouse, civil partner, friend or relative of, or a person who is known personally to, someone within any of paragraphs (a) to (i);
k
a person who is, or is contemplating becoming, a customer or supplier of someone within paragraph (a), (b), (h), (i) or (j); or
l
an employer of someone within paragraph (j).
3
For the purposes of this section, an “officer” of an animal research organisation or a person includes—
a
where the organisation or person is a body corporate, a director, manager or secretary;
b
where the organisation or person is a charity, a charity trustee (within the meaning of the Charities Act 1993 (c. 10));
c
where the organisation or person is a partnership, a partner.
4
For the purposes of this section—
a
a person is a customer or supplier of another person if he purchases goods, services or facilities from, or (as the case may be) supplies goods, services or facilities to, that other; and
b
“supplier” includes a person who supplies services in pursuance of any enactment that requires or authorises such services to be provided.
5
For the purposes of this section, a “relevant act” is—
a
an act amounting to a criminal offence, or
b
a tortious act causing B or another person to suffer loss or damage of any description.
6
The Secretary of State may by order amend this section so as to include within subsection (2) any description of persons framed by reference to their connection with—
a
an animal research organisation, or
b
any description of persons for the time being mentioned in that subsection.
7
This section does not apply to any act done wholly or mainly in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute.
8
In subsection (7) “trade dispute” has the meaning given by section 145(7).