Part III
-
Offences relating to the administration of justice
Division 3
-
Evidence and witnesses
History
Div 3 heading inserted by No 3 of 2011, s 3 and Sch 2 item 10, effective 3 March 2011.
SECTION 40
PREVENTING WITNESSES FROM ATTENDING COURT
40(1)
A person (the
first person
) commits an offence if:
(a)
another person has been subpoenaed or summoned to attend as a witness in a judicial proceeding; and
(b)
the first person prevents the other person from attending as a witness, or from producing anything in evidence, pursuant to the subpoena or summons; and
(c)
the judicial proceeding is a federal judicial proceeding.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 year.
40(2)
Absolute liability applies to the paragraph (1)(c) element of the offence.
Note:
For absolute liability, see section
6.2
of the
Criminal Code
.
History
S 40 substituted by No 3 of 2011, s 3 and Sch 2 item 11, effective 3 March 2011. S 40 formerly read:
SECTION 40 PREVENTING WITNESSES FROM ATTENDING COURT
40
A person who intentionally prevents another person who has been summoned to attend as a witness in a judicial proceeding from attending as a witness or from producing anything in evidence pursuant to the subpoena or summons shall be guilty of an offence.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 year.
S 40 amended by No 24 of 2001, s 3 and Sch 10 item 49, by substituting ``intentionally prevents'' for ``wilfully prevents or wilfully endeavours to prevent''. For application provisions, see note under s 3BA.