SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 5Investigatory powers etc.

PART 5Provisions supplementary to Parts 3 and 4

36Offence of obstruction

1

A person commits an offence if the person—

a

intentionally obstructs an enforcer or an officer of an enforcer who is exercising or seeking to exercise a power under Part 4 of this Schedule in accordance with that Part,

b

intentionally fails to comply with a requirement properly imposed by an enforcer or an officer of an enforcer under Part 4 of this Schedule, or

c

without reasonable cause fails to give an enforcer or an officer of an enforcer any other assistance or information which the enforcer or officer reasonably requires of the person for a purpose for which the enforcer or officer may exercise a power under Part 4 of this Schedule.

2

A person commits an offence if, in giving information of a kind referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(c), the person—

a

makes a statement which the person knows is false or misleading in a material respect, or

b

recklessly makes a statement which is false or misleading in a material respect.

3

A person who is guilty of an offence under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

4

Nothing in this paragraph requires a person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate that person.