Part 1: Espionage, sabotage and persons acting for foreign powers Espionage etc Section 4: Entering etc. a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK
Subsection (1) provides that a person commits a criminal offence if they engage in specified conduct in relation to a prohibited place for a purpose they know, or having regard to other matters known to them ought reasonably to know, is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.
Subsection (1)(a)(i) describes the full range of conduct that will be captured under this offence. This includes entering and inspecting a prohibited place. Subsection 4(1)(a)(ii) makes provision for when the activity is carried out via an unmanned vehicle or device in order to capture modern-day methods of conducting harmful activity in and around sites designated as prohibited places.
	Subsection (2) makes clear that inspecting can include the taking of photographs, videos or other media recordings of a prohibited place, and the inspection of photographs, videos, or other recordings of a prohibited place.
Example (1): Carrying out inspection
A person taking photographs of staff members as they enter or leave a prohibited place would commit the offence if they did so with a purpose that they knew, or having regard to other matters known to them ought reasonably to know, is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.
	Subsection (3) provides that a person can carry out the conduct within subsection (1)(a) in person or by electronic or remote means.
Example (1): Carrying out conduct in person
A person seeking to unlawfully enter a prohibited place uses wire cutters to cut through the fence surrounding the perimeter of the site. They then proceed to enter the prohibited place.
Example (2): Carrying out conduct electronically
A person hacks into the CCTV network of a prohibited place. From here they can inspect the site electronically and cause further harm by using the information gained from within the prohibited place to commit further hostile activity like espionage.
Example (3): Carrying out conduct remotely
A person some distance from a prohibited place launches a remote-controlled aerial drone and proceeds to operate it over the site. The drone passes over the site and conducts harmful surveillance.
	Subsection (4) provides for extra-territorial jurisdiction for this offence. This means that it can be committed by persons located both within and outside the United Kingdom. An example of this type of activity is noted below:
Example (1): Carrying out conduct in relation to a UK prohibited place from outside the UK
A person seeking to gain access to a prohibited place that is within the United Kingdom chooses to remotely enter the site from outside of the United Kingdom. Located outside of the UK’s territorial waters, they operate a drone over this site to conduct harmful surveillance. Without extra-territorial jurisdiction, this type of damaging activity would not be caught under these provisions.
	Subsection (5) outlines the maximum penalty for committing an offence under Section 4. On indictment, the maximum penalty is a term of imprisonment not exceeding 14 years or a fine (or both). Subsection (6) defines a vehicle for the purposes of this Part.