Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

[F1 453A Certain offences in relation to financial investigators U.K.

(1) A person commits an offence if he assaults an accredited financial investigator who is acting in the exercise of a relevant power.

(2) A person commits an offence if he resists or wilfully obstructs an accredited financial investigator who is acting in the exercise of a relevant power.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction—

(a) to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks; or

(b) to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale;

or to both.

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

(a) to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks; or

(b) to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale;

or to both.

(5) In this section “relevant power” means a power exercisable under—

[F2 (a) sections 47C to 47F or 195C to 195F (powers to seize and search for realisable property);]

(b) section 289 (powers to search for cash);

(c) section 294 (powers to seize cash);

(d) section 295(1) (power to detain seized cash);

[F3 (da) section 303C (powers to search for a listed asset);

(db) section 303J (powers to seize property);

(dc) section 303K (powers to detain seized property);]

[F4 (dd) section 303Z21 (powers to search for cryptoasset-related items);

(de) section 303Z26 (powers to seize cryptoasset-related items);

(df) section 303Z27 (powers to detain cryptoasset-related items);] or

(e) a search and seizure warrant issued under section 352.

(6) In the application of this section to England and Wales in relation to an offence committed before the commencement of section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44) (alteration of penalties for summary offences), and in the application of this section to Northern Ireland—

(a) the reference to 51 weeks in subsection (3)(a) is to be read as a reference to 6 months; and

(b) the reference to 51 weeks in subsection (4)(a) is to be read as a reference to 1 month.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 453A inserted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), ss. 81(2), 94(1); S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(g)

F2 S. 453A(5)(a) substituted (1.6.2015 for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c. 26), s. 116(1), Sch. 7 para. 94; S.I. 2015/983, arts. 2(2)(e), 3(ee); S.I. 2016/147, art. 3(i)

F3 S. 453A(5)(da)-(dc) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 16.4.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 86; S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(2); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(j)

F4 S. 453A(5)(dd)-(df) inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 26.4.2024 for S. for specified purposes, 26.4.2024 for E.W.N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), s. 219(1)(2)(b), Sch. 9 para. 12; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 4(b)(i)(ii)