Part I.
accepts or agrees to accept for not disclosing that information any consideration other than the making good of loss or injury caused by the offence, or the making of reasonable compensation for that loss or injury, shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for not more than two years.
(2) Where a person causes any wasteful employment of the police by knowingly making to any person a false report tending to show that an offence has been committed, or to give rise to apprehension for the safety of any persons or property, or tending to show that he has information material to any police inquiry, he shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for not more than six months or to a fine of not more than two hundred pounds or to both.
(3) No proceedings shall be instituted for an offence under this section except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
(4) Offences under subsection (1) above, and incitement to commit them, shall be included in Schedule 1 to the 1952 c. 55.Magistrates’ Courts Act 1952 (indictable offences triable summarily with the consent of the accused) where that Schedule includes, or is under any enactment to be treated as including, the arrestable offence to which they relate.
(5) The compounding of an offence other than treason shall not be an offence otherwise than under this section.
Trial of offences. 6.—(1) Where a person is arraigned on an indictment—
- (a) he shall in all cases be entitled to make a plea of not guilty in addition to any demurrer or special plea;
- (b) he may plead not guilty of the offence specifically charged in the indictment but guilty of another offence of which he might be found guilty on that indictment;
- (c) if he stands mute of malice or will not answer directly to the indictment, the court may order a plea of not guilty to be entered on his behalf, and he shall then be treated as having pleaded not guilty.
(2) On an indictment for murder a person found not guilty of murder may be found guilty—
- (a) of manslaughter, or of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do so; or
- (b) of any offence of which he may be found guilty under an enactment specifically so providing, or under section 4(2) of this Act; or
- (c) of an attempt to commit murder, or of an attempt to commit any other offence of which he might be found guilty;
but may not be found guilty of any offence not included above.
