Customs and Excise Management Act 1979

Changes over time for: Section 146A

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Changes to legislation:

Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, Section 146A is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 17 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

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Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

s. 95(1A)(1B) inserted by 2023 c. 30 s. 110(2)
s. 119(7) inserted by S.I. 2022/109 reg. 2(3)(f) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The affecting statutory instrument has no legal effect. It was made under a procedure which meant that it ceased to have effect 28 days after signing unless it was debated and approved in Parliament within that time. It was not debated and approved within 28 days, so it has expired with no effect.)
s. 160(2A) inserted by 2023 c. 30 Sch. 13 para. 26(3)

[F1146A Time limits for proceedings.U.K.

(1)Except as otherwise provided in the customs and excise Acts, and notwithstanding anything in any other enactment, the following provisions shall apply in relation to proceedings for an offence under those Acts.

(2)Proceedings for an indictable offence shall not be commenced after the end of the period of 20 years beginning with the day on which the offence was committed.

(3)Proceedings for a summary offence shall not be commenced after the end of the period of 3 years beginning with that day but, subject to that, may be commenced at any time within 6 months from the date on which sufficient evidence to warrant the proceedings came to the knowledge of the prosecuting authority.

(4)For the purposes of subsection (3) above, a certificate of the prosecuting authority as to the date on which such evidence as is there mentioned came to that authority’s knowledge shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.

(5)In the application of this section to Scotland—

(a)in subsection (2), “proceedings for an indictable offence” means proceedings on indictment;

(b)in subsection (3), “proceedings for a summary offence” means summary proceedings.

(6)In the application of this section to Northern Ireland—

(a)“indictable offence” means an offence which, if committed by an adult, is punishable on conviction on indictment (whether only on conviction on indictment, or either on conviction on indictment or on summary conviction);

(b)“summary offence” means an offence which, if committed by an adult, is punishable only on summary conviction.

(7)In this section, “ [F2prosecuting] authority” ]

[F3(a)in England and Wales, means [F4the Director of Public Prosecutions],

(b)in Scotland, means F5... the procurator fiscal, and

(c)in Northern Ireland, means [F6 the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland] .]

Textual Amendments

F1S. 146A inserted by Finance Act 1989 (c. 26, SIF 40:1), s. 16(1)(4)

F2Word in s. 146A(7) substituted (with application in accordance with s. 174(5) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2016 (c. 24), s. 174(2)(a)

F3S. 146A(7)(a)(b)(c) substituted for words (18.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), s. 53(1), Sch. 4 para. 24; S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(2)(h)

F4Words in s. 146A(7)(a) substituted (27.3.2014) by The Public Bodies (Merger of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/834), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 2(b)

F5Words in s. 146A(7)(b) omitted (with application in accordance with s. 174(5) of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance Act 2016 (c. 24), s. 174(2)(b)

F6Words in s. 146A(7)(c) substituted (with application in accordance with s. 174(5) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2016 (c. 24), s. 174(2)(c)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Ss. 145-148 applied (6.2.2004) by The Democratic Republic of Congo (Financing and Financial Assistance and Technical Advice, Assistance and Training) (Penalties and Licences) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/221), regs. 1(1), 4(4) (with reg. 4(5))

C2Ss. 145-148 applied (19.2.2004) by The Sudan (Technical Assistance and Financing and Financial Assistance) (Penalties and Licences) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/373), regs. 1(1), 4(4) (with reg. 4(5))

C3Ss. 145-148 applied (26.2.2004) by The Liberia (Technical Assistance and Financing and Financial Assistance) (Penalties and Licences) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/432), regs. 1(1), 4(4) (with reg. 4(5))

C4Ss. 145-148 applied (3.3.2004) by The Trade in Controlled Goods (Embargoed Destinations) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/318), arts. 1, 11(2) (with art. 11(3))

C5Ss. 145-148 applied (1.5.2004) by Export of Goods, Transfer of Technology and Provision of Technical Assistance (Control) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/2764), arts. 1, 21(4)

C6Ss. 145-148 applied (1.5.2004) by The Trade in Goods (Control) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/2765), arts. 1(1), 12(2)

C7Ss. 145-148 applied (17.5.2004) by The Burma (Sale, Supply, Export, Technical Assistance, Financing and Financial Assistance and Shipment of Equipment) (Penalties and Licences) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1315), regs. 1(1), 4(4)

C8Ss. 145-148 applied (9.2.2005) by The Export Control (Iraq and Ivory Coast) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/232), arts. 1(1), 5(4)

C9Ss. 145-148 applied (31.3.2002) by S.I. 2002/868, reg. 4(4)

C10Ss. 144-148, 150-155 applied (01.01.1992) by S.I. 1991/2724, reg. 10(2)

Ss. 144-148, 150-155 applied (01.01.1992) by S.I. 1991/2725, reg. 6(2)