Defence of due diligence
23.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, in proceedings against a person for an offence to which this regulation applies it shall be a defence for that person to show that the person took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid committing the offence.
(2) Where in any proceedings against any person for such an offence the defence provided by paragraph (1) involves an allegation that the commission of the offence was due—
(a)to the act or default of another; or
(b)to reliance on information given by another,
that person shall not, without leave of the court, be entitled to rely on the defence unless, not less than seven clear days before the hearing of the proceedings, the person has served a notice under paragraph (3) on the person bringing the proceedings.
(3) A notice under this paragraph must give such information identifying or assisting in the identification of the person who committed the act or default or gave the information as is in the possession of the person serving the notice at the time when that person serves it.
(4) A person shall not be entitled to rely on the defence provided by paragraph (1) by reason of reliance on information supplied by another, unless the person shows that it was reasonable in all the circumstances to have relied on the information, having regard in particular to—
(a)the steps which the person took, and those which might reasonably have been taken, for the purpose of verifying the information; and
(b)whether the person had any reason to disbelieve the information.
(5) This regulation applies to an offence under regulation 4(1) or (3), 5(1), 6(1), 7(7), 11(5) or 12(3).