Courts Act 2003

Offences of providing false information, failing to disclose information etc. E+W

48 (1) P commits an offence if, in providing a statement of [F1 financial circumstances (whether a statement of assets, of other financial circumstances or of both)] to a fines officer in response to a relevant request, he— E+W

(a) makes a statement which he knows to be false in a material particular,

(b) recklessly provides a statement which is false in a material particular, or

(c) knowingly fails to disclose any material fact.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under sub-paragraph (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

(3) P commits an offence if he fails to provide a [F2 fines officer with a statement of financial circumstances (whether a statement of assets, of other financial circumstances or of both) requested by] a relevant request.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under sub-paragraph (3) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.

(5) A relevant request is a request for information about P’s financial circumstances [F3 (whether about P's assets, P's other financial circumstances or both)] which—

(a) is made by a fines officer, and

(b) is expressed to be made for the purpose of determining whether or how the fines officer should vary the payment terms (or the reserve terms) of a collection order in P’s favour.

(6) Proceedings in respect of an offence under this paragraph may be commenced at any time within—

(a) 2 years from the date of the commission of the offence, or

(b) 6 months from its first discovery by the prosecutor,

whichever ends first.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 5 para. 48(1) substituted (11.12.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 16 para. 28(2)(a); S.I. 2013/2981, art. 2(d)

F2 Words in Sch. 5 para. 48(3) substituted (11.12.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 16 para. 28(2)(b); S.I. 2013/2981, art. 2(d)

F3 Words in Sch. 5 para. 48(5) inserted (11.12.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 16 para. 28(2)(c); S.I. 2013/2981, art. 2(d)

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 5 para. 48 wholly in force at 5.4.2004; Sch. 5 para. 48 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 110(1)(2); Sch. 5 para. 48 in force for certain purposes at 23.2.2004 by S.I. 2004/174, art. 4(a); Sch. 5 para. 48 in force for certain further purposes at 29.3.2004 by S.I. 2004/174, art. 4(b); Sch. 5 para. 48 in force for all purposes at 5.4.2004 by S.I. 2004/174, art. 4(c)