Page:Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (UKPGA 1971-38 qp).pdf/23

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Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
c. 3819

(5) In its application to Northern Ireland subsection (3) above shall have effect as if the words “acting for the police area in which the premises are situated” were omitted.

Power of arrest. 24.—(1) A constable may arrest without warrant a person who has committed, or whom the constable, with reasonable cause, suspects to have committed, an offence under this Act, if—

(a) he, with reasonable cause, believes that that person will abscond unless arrested; or
(b) the name and address of that person are unknown to, and cannot be ascertained by, him; or
(c) he is not satisfied that a name and address furnished by that person as his name and address are true.

(2) This section shall not prejudice any power of arrest conferred by law apart from this section.

Prosecution and punishment of offences. 25.—(1) Schedule 4 to this Act shall have effect, in accordance with subsection (2) below, with respect to the way in which offences under this Act are punishable on conviction.

(2) In relation to an offence under a provision of this Act specified in the first column of the Schedule (the general nature of the offence being described in the second column)—

(a) the third column shows whether the offence is punishable on summary conviction or on indictment or in either way;
(b) the fourth, fifth and sixth columns show respectively the punishments which may be imposed on a person convicted of the offence in the way specified in relation thereto in the third column (that is to say, summarily or on indictment) according to whether the controlled drug in relation to which the offence was committed was a Class A drug, a Class B drug or a Class C drug; and
(c) the seventh column shows the punishments which may be imposed on a person convicted of the offence in the way specified in relation thereto in the third column (that is to say, summarily or on indictment), whether or not the offence was committed in relation to a controlled drug and, if it was so committed, irrespective of whether the drug was a Class A drug, a Class B drug or a Class C drug;