Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932

6 Offences, and c

(1) Any person who—

(a) at a time when the importation of musk rats is prohibited absolutely, imports, or attempts to import, any musk rat into Great Britain, or at a time when such importation is prohibited except under a licence, imports or attempts to import, any musk rat into Great Britain without having in force a licence authorising him so to do; or

(b) at a time when the keeping of musk rats is prohibited absolutely, keeps any musk rat in Great Britain, or at a time when the keeping of musk rats is prohibited except under a licence, keeps any musk rat in Great Britain without having in force a licence authorising him so to do; or

(c) being the holder of a licence granted to him under this Act, acts in contravention of or fails to comply with any regulation made under this Act, or any term of his licence; or

(d) turns loose any musk rat, or wilfully allows any musk rat to escape; or

(e) obstructs any officer of, or person authorized by or employed by or on behalf of, the appropriate department, in the execution of his duty under this Act; or

(f) fails to give a notice which he is required by subsection (2) of the last preceding section to give,

shall be guilty of an offence under this Act, and shall on summary conviction be liable—

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (a), paragraph (b) or paragraph (d) of this subsection, to a penalty of twenty pounds, or if the offence was committed in respect of more than four animals, to a penalty of five pounds in respect of each animal;

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (c), to a penalty of ten pounds, and to a further penalty of forty shillings for every day on which the offence continues after conviction therefor;

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (e), to a penalty of twenty pounds; and

• in the case of an offence under paragraph (f), to a penalty of five pounds;

and the court before which any person is convicted of an offence under paragraph (a), paragraph (b) or paragraph (c) of this subsection may order any musk rats in respect of which the offence was committed to be forfeited and destroyed.

(2) Any officer of police and any person duly authorised in that behalf by the appropriate department may seize any musk rats with respect to which he has reason to believe that an offence under paragraph (a) of the last preceding subsection has been committed, and may detain them pending the determination of any proceedings to be instituted under that subsection, or until the appropriate department are satisfied that no such proceedings are likely to be instituted.