Terrorism Act 2000

Unlicensed services: offences

2 A person commits an offence if he provides or offers to provide security services for reward unless he—

(a) holds a licence under this Schedule, or

(b) acts on behalf of someone who holds a licence under this Schedule.

3 (1) A person commits an offence if he publishes or causes to be published an advertisement for the provision for reward of security services by a person who does not hold a licence under this Schedule.

(2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this paragraph to prove—

(a) that his business is publishing advertisements or arranging for their publication,

(b) that he received the advertisement for publication in the ordinary course of business, and

(c) that he reasonably believed that the person mentioned in the advertisement as the provider of security services held a licence under this Schedule.

4 (1) A person commits an offence if he pays money, in respect of the provision of security services, to a person who—

(a) does not hold a licence under this Schedule, and

(b) is not acting on behalf of someone who holds a licence under this Schedule.

(2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this paragraph to prove that he reasonably believed that the person to whom he paid the money—

(a) held a licence under this Schedule, or

(b) was acting on behalf of someone who held a licence under this Schedule.

5 (1) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph 2 or 3 shall be liable—

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

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

(2) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph 4 is liable on summary conviction to—

(a) imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months,

(b) a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or

(c) both.