Water Services Act 2007
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Guidelines and codes of practice in criminal proceedings. |
35.— (1) Subject to subsection (2), failure on the part of any person to observe any provision of a guideline or a code of practice issued under section 34 shall not of itself render that person liable to any civil or criminal proceedings. | |
(2) Where in any criminal proceedings a party is alleged to have committed an offence under this Act, being a provision for which there was a guideline or a code of practice at the time of the alleged contravention, subsection (3) shall have effect with respect to that guideline or code of practice in relation to those proceedings. | ||
(3) Any provision of a guideline or code of practice which appears to the court to give practical guidance as to the observance of the requirement or prohibition alleged to have been contravened shall be admissible in evidence; and if it is proved that any act or omission of the defendant alleged to constitute the contravention is a failure to observe such provision of the guideline or code of practice, or if it is proved that any act or omission of the defendant is in compliance with such provision of the guideline or code of practice, then such failure or compliance shall be admissible in evidence. |