The Human Medicines Regulations 2012

Disqualification on conviction

256.—(1) A court before which a person (“P”) is convicted of any offence under regulation 255(8) may order that P is disqualified from using the premises where that offence was committed for a period not exceeding 2 years if the following conditions are met.

(2) Condition A is that the offence was committed in a retail pharmacy business.

(3) Condition B is that the period of disqualification relates to the future use of the premises as a retail pharmacy business.

(4) Condition C is that the enforcement authority has made an application to the court for such an order.

(5) Condition D is that the court thinks it appropriate to grant an order having regard—

(a) to the gravity of the offence of which P has been convicted as mentioned in the preceding subsection;

(b) to the unsatisfactory nature of the premises; or

(c) to any offences under regulation 255(8) of which P has previously been convicted.

(6) Condition E is that the enforcement authority has not less than 14 days before the date of the hearing given P notice in writing of their intention to apply for such an order.

(7) If P uses the premises in respect of which an order under this regulation is in force for the purposes of a retail pharmacy business, P shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(8) At any time after the end of the period of six months beginning with the date on which an order under this regulation comes into force, P may apply to the court to revoke the order or to vary it by reducing the period of disqualification.

(9) On any application made under paragraph (8) of this regulation the court may—

(a) revoke or vary the order if it thinks it proper to do so having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including in particular the conduct of the applicant and any improvement in the state of the premises to which the order relates; or

(b) refuse to revoke or vary the order.

(10) If an application made by P under paragraph (8) is refused, no further application under that paragraph may be made within the period of three months beginning with the date of the refusal.

(11) The court determining an application under this regulation shall have power to order the applicant to pay the whole or any part of the costs of the application.

(12) In the application of this regulation to Scotland, for reference to an enforcement authority and to costs there shall be substituted respectively references to the procurator fiscal and to expenses.