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Extent Information

E1Act (except s. 16 which applies to England and Wales) applies to Scotland only see s. 137(9).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Act excluded (19. 12. 1991) by City of Edinburgh District Council Order Confirmation Act (c. xix), ss. 1, 12(2), Sch. Pt. V

Commencement Information

I1Act partly in force at Royal Assent see s. 137(2); Act wholly in force at 1. 1. 1985 see S.I. 1983/201 as amended by S.I. 1984/573 and 744.

Part IVS Offences, Powers of Constables, etc.

Offences of annoying, offensive, obstructive or dangerous behaviourS

51 Obscene material.S

(1)Subject to subsection (4) below, any person who displays any obscene material in any public place or in any other place where it can be seen by the public shall be guilty of an offence under this section.

(2)Subject to subsection (4) below, any person who publishes, sells or distributes or, with a view to its eventual sale or distribution, makes, prints, has or keeps any obscene material shall be guilty of an offence under this section.

[F1(2A)Subject to subsection (4) below, any person who—

(a)is responsible for the inclusion of any obscene material in a programme included in a programme service; or

(b)with a view to its eventual inclusion in a programme so included, makes, prints, has or keeps any obscene material,

shall be guilty of an offence under this section.]

(3)A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the prescribed sum or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding [F26 months]or to both or, on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding [F23 years]or to both.

(4)A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section if he proves that he had used all due diligence to avoid committing the offence.

(5)Under an indictment for or on a complaint of a breach of subsection (1) above, the court may, if satisfied that the person accused is guilty of an offence under section 1(1) of the M1Indecent Displays (Control) Act 1981 (offence of public display of indecent matter), convict him of a breach of the said section 1(1).

(6)Nothing in this section applies in relation to any matter—

(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

(b)included in a performance of a play (within the meaning of the M2Theatres Act 1968).

(7)For section 5(4)(b) of the Indecent Displays (Control) Act 1981 (saving) there shall be substituted the following—

(b)section 51 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

(8)In this section—

and the reference to publishing includes a reference to . . . F7 playing, projecting or otherwise reproducing [F8, or, where the material is data stored electronically, transmitting that data].

Textual Amendments

F2Words in s. 51(3) substituted (3.2.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 8; S.I. 1995/127, art. 2(1)

F5S. 51(8): words in definition of

prescribed sum

substituted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 40, ss. 5, 7(2), Sch. 4 para. 44(2)

F8Words in s. 51(8) inserted (3.2.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(1), Sch. 9 para. 20; S.I. 1995/127, art. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2The text of ss. 16, 18(11), 51(7) and 52(6) is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.

Marginal Citations