Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

[F1 F2 194H Power to request precognition on oath. S

(1) Where it appears to the Commission that a person may have information which they require for the purposes of carrying out their functions, and the person refuses to make any statement to them, they may apply to the sheriff under this section.

(2) On an application made by the Commission under this section, the sheriff may, if he is satisfied that it is reasonable in the circumstances, grant warrant to cite the person concerned to appear before the sheriff in chambers at such time or place as shall be specified in the citation, for precognition on oath by a member of the Commission or a person appointed by them to act in that regard.

(3) Any person who, having been duly cited to attend for precognition under subsection (2) above and having been given at least 48 hours notice, fails without reasonable excuse to attend shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 21 days; and the court may issue a warrant for the apprehension of the person concerned ordering him to be brought before a sheriff for precognition on oath.

(4) Any person who, having been duly cited to attend for precognition under subsection (2) above, attends but—

(a) refuses to give information within his knowledge or to produce evidence in his possession; or

(b) prevaricates in his evidence,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to be summarily subjected to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 21 days.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. XA (ss. 194A-194L) inserted (1.1.1998 for the purpose of inserting ss. 194A, 194E and 194G, otherwise 1.4.1999) by 1997 c. 48, s. 25(1); S.I. 1997/3004, art. 2, Sch.; S.I. 1999/652, art. 2, Sch. (subject to art. 3)

F2 S. 194H inserted (1.4.1999) by 1997 c. 48, s. 25(1); S.I. 1999/652, art. 2, Sch. (subject to art. 3)