Banking Act 1987

43 Powers of entry in cases of suspected contraventions

(1) A justice of the peace may issue a warrant under this section if satisfied on information on oath laid by an officer or servant of the Bank or laid under the Bank's authority that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that a person is guilty of such a contravention as is mentioned in section 42 above and—

(a) that that person has failed to comply with a notice served on him under that section; or

(b) that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting the completeness of any information provided or documents produced by him in response to such a notice; or

(c) that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that if a notice were served on him under that section it would not be complied with or that any documents to which it would relate would be removed, tampered with or destroyed.

(2) A warrant under this section shall authorise any constable, together with any other person named in the warrant and any other constables—

(a) to enter any premises occupied by the person mentioned in subsection (1) above which are specified in the warrant, Using such force as is reasonably necessary for the purpose;

(b) to search the premises and take possession of any documents appearing to be such documents as are mentioned in subsection (1)(c) above or to take, in relation to any such documents, any other steps which may appear to be necessary for preserving them or preventing interference with them;

(c) to take copies of or extracts from any such documents;

(d) to require any person named in the warrant to answer questions relevant for determining whether that person is guilty of any such contravention as is mentioned in section 42 above.

(3) A warrant under this section shall continue in force until the end of the period of one month beginning with the day on which it is issued.

(4) Any documents of which possession is taken under this section may be retained—

(a) for a period of three months; or

(b) if within that period proceedings to which the documents are relevant are commenced against any person for any such contravention as is mentioned in section 42 above, until the conclusion of those proceedings.

(5) Any person who intentionally obstructs the exercise of any right conferred by a warrant issued under this section or fails without reasonable excuse to comply with any requirement imposed in accordance with subsection (2)(d) above shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both;

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(6) A statement made by a person in compliance with a requirement imposed by virtue of this section may be used in evidence against him.

(7) In the application of subsection (1) above to Scotland, the reference to a justice of the peace includes a reference to a sheriff and for the reference to information on oath there shall be substituted a reference to evidence on oath; and in the application of that subsection to Northern Ireland for the reference to laying an information on oath there shall be substituted a reference to making a complaint on oath.