Commentary on Sections Procedural matters Section 18: Provision of information by defendant
43.Section 18 empowers the court, at any stage in the confiscation procedures, to order the defendant to provide any information it needs to enable it to carry out its confiscation functions. The court might use the provision where, for example, the defendant has proposed to rely on certain matters in responding to the statement of information, and the court considers that it requires more information from the defendant in deciding the point at issue.
44.Where the defendant fails to comply with the court’s order without reasonable excuse, subsection (4) allows the court to draw any inference it believes appropriate. However, subsection (5) makes it clear that the power does not detract from any other power the court has to deal with the defendant, notably its power to punish the defendant for contempt of court in refusing to comply with the order
45.Subsection (9) contains provision like that in section 17(6), protecting the defendant from incriminating himself and others by making an admission under section 18. However, it does not prevent the authorities from prosecuting the defendant or another person using other evidence which may come to light following such an admission.