18 Interpretation of provisions imposing penalties
(1) The penalty--
(a) specified at the end of a section of an Act (whether or
not the section is divided into subsections), or
(b) specified at the end of
a subsection of a section of an Act, but not at the end of the section, or
(c) specified at the end of a section of an Act or subsection of a section of
an Act and expressed in such a way as to indicate that it applies to part only
of the section or subsection,
indicates that a contravention of the section,
subsection or part, respectively, is an offence against the Act, punishable on
conviction by a penalty not exceeding the penalty so specified.
(2) For the
purposes of subsection (1), a penalty specified at the end of the last
subsection of a section is taken not to be specified at the end of the section
if a penalty is specified at the end of any previous subsection.
(3) If--
(a)
a section of an Act, or a subsection of a section of an Act, provides that a
person is guilty of an offence under specified circumstances, and
(b) a
penalty is specified at the end of the section or subsection and expressed in
such a way as to indicate that it applies to the section or subsection,
a
person who is guilty of such an offence is liable, on conviction, to a penalty
not exceeding the penalty so specified.
(4) This section applies to a
statutory rule in the same way as it applies to an Act, subject to any
necessary modification.
(5) This section applies to a provision of an Act or
statutory rule except in so far as the contrary intention appears in the Act
or statutory rule concerned.