Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52)

Valid from 28/03/2009

Part 1 U.K. Offences

Ships and aircraft U.K.

37 Prize offences by officer in command of ship or aircraft U.K.

(1) A person subject to service law who, while in command of any of Her Majesty's ships or aircraft, takes any ship or aircraft as prize commits an offence if he unlawfully fails to ensure that all the ship papers or aircraft papers found on board are sent to a prize court of competent jurisdiction.

(2) A person subject to service law who, while in command of any of Her Majesty's ships or aircraft, takes any ship, aircraft or goods as prize commits an offence if he unlawfully fails to ensure that—

(a) the ship is brought to a convenient port for adjudication;

(b) the aircraft is brought to a convenient airfield for adjudication; or

(c) the goods are brought to a convenient port or airfield for adjudication.

(3) In this section—

• “Her Majesty's ships” and “Her Majesty's aircraft” have the meanings given (respectively) by sections 31 and 36;

• “prize court” means a prize court within the meaning of the Naval Prize Act 1864 (c. 25);

• “ship papers” and “aircraft papers” have the meanings given by section 2 of that Act.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable to any punishment mentioned in the Table in section 164, but any sentence of imprisonment imposed in respect of the offence must not exceed two years.