Commentary on Sections Private burial Section 24 – Private burial: offences
76.This section establishes offences in relation to private burials. Subsection (1) provides that anyone who carries out a private burial knowing that it has not been authorised by the relevant local authority (which has the same meaning as that used in section 22(6), i.e. the local authority in whose area the burial will be carried out), contravenes section 22(3) and commits an offence. Subsection (2) sets out that a person who fails to comply, without reasonable excuse, with the requirements imposed by section 22(4) commits an offence. Subsection (3) sets out that a person commits an offence by providing information that the person knows to be false or misleading in a material way in, or in connection with, a private burial application under section 22, or by recklessly providing information that is false or misleading in a material way in, or in connection with, such an application.
77.By virtue of subsection (4), a person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a period of no more than 12 months or to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale or both.
78.By virtue of subsection (5), a person who commits an offence under subsection (2) or (3) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.