(1)Sections 51 and 58 apply to acts committed on or after 1 January 1991.
(2)But those sections do not apply to a crime against humanity, or a war crime within article 8.2(b) or (e), committed by a person before 1 September 2001 unless, at the time the act constituting that crime was committed, the act amounted in the circumstances to a criminal offence under international law.
(3)Section 52 applies to conduct in which a person engaged on or after 1 January 1991, and in subsections (2) and (3) of that section references to an offence include an act or conduct which would not constitute an offence under the law of England and Wales but for this section.
(4)Section 59 applies to conduct in which a person engaged on or after 1 January 1991, and in subsections (2) and (3) of that section references to an offence include an act or conduct which would not constitute an offence under the law of Northern Ireland but for this section.
(5)Any enactment or rule of law relating to an offence ancillary to a relevant Part 5 offence—
(a)applies to conduct in which a person engaged on or after 1 January 1991, and
(b)applies even if the act or conduct constituting the relevant Part 5 offence would not constitute such an offence but for this section.
(6)But sections 52 and 59, and any enactment or rule of law relating to an offence ancillary to a relevant Part 5 offence, do not apply to—
(a)conduct in which the person engaged before 1 September 2001, or
(b)conduct in which the person engaged on or after that date which was ancillary to an act or conduct which—
(i)was committed or engaged in before that date, and
(ii)would not constitute a relevant Part 5 offence, or fall within section 52(2) or 59(2), but for this section,
unless, at the time the person engaged in the conduct, it amounted in the circumstances to a criminal offence under international law.
(7)Section 65, so far as it has effect in relation to relevant Part 5 offences—
(a)applies to failures to exercise control of the kind mentioned in section 65(2) or (3) which occurred on or after 1 January 1991, and
(b)applies even if the act or conduct constituting the relevant Part 5 offence would not constitute such an offence but for this section.
(8)But section 65, so far as it has effect in relation to relevant Part 5 offences, does not apply to a failure to exercise control of the kind mentioned in section 65(2) or (3) which occurred before 1 September 2001 unless, at the time the failure occurred, it amounted in the circumstances to a criminal offence under international law.
(9) In this section “ relevant Part 5 offence ” means an offence under section 51, 52, 58 or 59 or an offence ancillary to such an offence. ]
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 65A, 65B inserted (6.4.2010) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), ss. 70(3), 182(5) (with s. 180, Sch. 22); S.I. 2010/816, art. 2, Sch. para. 3