Commentary on Sections Part 2: Criminal Justice Section 28: Disclosure orders for purpose of executing warrants
104.This section inserts new sections 125CA and 125CB into the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980. New section 125CA provides for the making by magistrates’ courts of disclosure orders where necessary for the purpose of executing warrants in connection with the enforcement of fines and community sentences. A disclosure order will be made on application to the court by a person entitled to execute the warrant (typically a civilian enforcement officer or approved enforcement agency). The disclosure order will require a third party to supply to the court specified information about the offender who is the subject of the warrant. The information will be that needed to establish the whereabouts of the offender so that the warrant can be executed; namely the offender’s name, date of birth, national insurance number and address. New section 125CB provides for the legitimate dissemination of information obtained under a disclosure order in order to execute the warrant, and makes unauthorised disclosure of such information an offence.