Defences: offences under section 53(1)
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes
54. It is a defence to a charge in proceedings under section53(1) for the person to show both—
(a)that the failure to comply with the requirements concerned was as a result of an accident which could not reasonably have been foreseen or natural cause or force majeure which was exceptional and could not reasonably have been foreseen, and
(b)that the person—
(i)took all practicable steps to prevent an uncontrolled release of water from the reservoir,
(ii)took all practicable steps as soon as was reasonably practicable to rectify the failure,
(iii)provided particulars of the failure to the Department as soon as practicable after the failure arose.