Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990

12 Other acts endangering or likely to endanger safe navigation. U.K.

(1) Subject to subsection (6) below, it is an offence for any person unlawfully and intentionally—

(a) to destroy or damage any property to which this subsection applies, or

(b) seriously to interfere with the operation of any such property,

where the destruction, damage or interference is likely to endanger the safe navigation of any ship.

(2) Subsection (1) above applies to any property used for the provision of maritime navigation facilities, including any land, building or ship so used, and including any apparatus or equipment so used, whether it is on board a ship or elsewhere.

(3) Subject to subsection (6) below, it is also an offence for any person intentionally to communicate any information which he knows to be false in a material particular, where the communication of the information endangers the safe navigation of any ship.

(4) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (3) above to prove that, when he communicated the information, he was lawfully employed to perform duties which consisted of or included the communication of information and that he communicated the information in good faith in performance of those duties.

(5) Except as provided by subsection (6) below, subsections (1) and (3) above apply whether any such act as is mentioned in those subsections is committed in the United Kingdom or elsewhere and whatever the nationality of the person committing the act.

(6) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (3) above any danger, or likelihood of danger, to the safe navigation of a warship or any other ship used as a naval auxiliary or in customs or police service is to be disregarded unless—

(a) the person committing the act is a United Kingdom national, or

(b) his act is committed in the United Kingdom, or

(c) the ship is used in the naval or customs service of the United Kingdom or in the service of any police force in the United Kingdom.

(7) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.

(8) In this section unlawfully has the same meaning as in section 11 of this Act.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 12 extended (with modifications) (Jersey) (1.1.1997) by S.I. 1996/2881, art. 2, Sch. Pts. I, II

C2 Ss. 9-43 extended (Jersey) (with modifications) (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(1) of the extending S.I.) by The Maritime Security (Jersey) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/265), art. 2, Sch.