27 Obstruction and personation of authorised officers.U.K.
(1)Any person who—
(a)wilfully obstructs an authorised officer, or
(b)wilfully fails to comply with any requirement properly made to him under section 11 above by an authorised officer, or
(c)without reasonable cause fails to give an authorised officer other assistance or information he may reasonably require in performing his functions under this Act, or
(d)in giving information to an authorised officer, makes any statement which he knows to be false,
shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F1level 4 on the standard scale].
(2)A person who is not an authorised officer but purports to act as such shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F1level 5 on the standard scale].
(3)In this section “authorised officer” means a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority who is acting in pursuance of this Act.
(4)Nothing in subsection (1) above requires a person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate that person or that person’s [F2spouse or civil partner] .
Textual Amendments
F1Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289G and (N.I.) by S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), arts. 5, 6
F2Words in s. 27(4) substituted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), s. 263(10)(b), Sch. 27 para. 62; S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2(2)