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Warrants to enter certain premises.
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24.— The Act of 1952 is amended by substituting the following section for section 60:
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“Power of judge of the District Court to issue warrant to enter certain premises.
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60.— (1) If a Judge of the District Court is satisfied by complaint on oath that the first condition is satisfied and that the second or third condition is satisfied the Judge may issue a warrant authorising an authorised person to enter any premises, if necessary using reasonable force, for any of the purposes mentioned in section 64(1).
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(2) The complaint shall include—
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(a) a statement as to whether any representations have been made by the occupier of the premises to an authorised person concerning the purpose for which the warrant is sought,
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(b) a summary of any such representations.
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(3) The first condition is that there are reasonable grounds for an authorised person to enter the premises for that purpose.
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(4) The second condition is that each of the following applies to the occupier of the premises:
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(a) he has been informed of the decision to seek entry to the premises and of the reasons for that decision;
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(b) he has failed to allow entry to the premises on being requested to do so by an authorised person;
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(c) he has been informed of the decision to apply for the warrant.
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(5) The third condition is that—
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(a) the premises are unoccupied or the occupier is absent and (in either case) notice of intention to apply for the warrant has been left in a conspicuous place on the premises, or
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(b) an application for admission to the premises or the giving of notice of intention to apply for the warrant would defeat the object of entering the premises.
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(6) A warrant issued under this section shall not continue in force for more than 7 days from the date of its issue by the Judge of the District Court, which date shall be clearly visible on the warrant.
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(7) A warrant issued under this section shall be executed only at a reasonable hour unless otherwise authorised by the warrant.
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(8) A person authorised to enter premises by virtue of a warrant issued under this section—
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(a) may take with him such other persons and such equipment as he considers may be necessary, and
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(b) shall, on leaving any unoccupied premises which he has entered by virtue of such a warrant, leave them as effectually secured against trespassers as he found them.
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(9) In this section ‘authorised person’ does not include a private river watcher.”.
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