| Video
Recordings Act 1984
Classification
The video recordings act
1984 was introduced in order to regulate the classification
by certificate and the labelling of video works
that are supplied in the course of or in further
ance of a business or video works that are supplied
for reward, save those that are concerned with
sport, religion or music or those that can properly
be described as being designed to inform, educate
or instruct.
The video
recordings (labelling) regulations 1985, which
are made under section 8 of the 1984 act, provide
for the type and content of classification certificates
and for the positioning and clarity of the required
labels and markings. The categories of classification
are as follows:
Uc
- universal particulary suitable for young children.
u
- universal suitable for all.
pg
- parental guidance general viewing, but some
scenes may be unsuitable for young children.
12
- suitable only for persons of 12 years and older.
Not to be supplied to any person below that age.
15
- suitable only for persons of 15 years and older.
Not to be supplied to any person below that age.
18
- suitable only for persons of 18 years and older.
Not to be supplied to any person below that age.
restricted
18 - to be supplied only in licensed sex shops
to persons of not less than 18 years.
Offences:
Video Recordings Act 1984
The 1984 act creates a
number of criminal offences:
(a) section 9, supplying or offering to supply
an unclassified video work.
(b) section 10, possession of an unclassified
video work for the purposes of supply.
(c) section 11, supplying or offering to supply
recordings of classified works in breach of the
classification.
(d) section 12, supplying or offering to supply
a work otherwise than in a licensed sex shop.
(e) section 13, supplying or offering to supply
a video recording not complying with the video
recordings (labelling) regulations 1985.
(f) section 14, supplying or offering to supply
a video recording containing a false indication
as to classification.
Penalties:
Video Recordings Act 1984
From 3rd february 1995
section 88 the criminal justice and public order
act 1994 makes sections 9 and 10 "either-way"
offences with maximum penalties as follows:
A) on indictment - imprisonment for a term not
exceeding 2 year or an unlimited fine or both.
B) summarily - imprisonment for a term not exceeding
six months or a fine not exceeding £20,000
or both.
Sections
11,12 and 14 remain summary with either a maximum
penalty of imprisonment for a term not exceeding
six months or a fine not exceeding level 5 (£5,000)
or both.
Specimen
Charges/Summonses
(a) on the ... Day of...
19..
at...
supplied/offered to supply a video recording,
namely ... Containing a video work in respect
of which no classification certificate had been
issued
contrary to section 9(1) of the video recordings
act 1984
(b) on
the ... Day of... 19..
at...
had a video recording containing a video work,
namely ... In respect of which no classifi cation
certificate had been issued for the purpose of
supplying it
contrary to section 10(1) of the video recordings
act 1984
(c) on
the ... Day of... 19..
at...
supplied/offered to supply a video recording,
namely ... Which did not satisfy a requirement
imposed by regulations under section 8 of the
video recordings act 1984, namely under regulation
4(2) of the video recordings (labelling) regulations
1985, in that the appropriate symbol was not shown
on the spine of the covering in which the recording
was kept
contrary to section 13 of the video recordings
act 1984
(d) on
the ... Day of... 19..
at ...
unlawfully supplied/offered to supply a video
recording containing a video work, namely ...
In respect of which no classification certificate
had been issued and the video recording/spool/case/thing
in or on which the recording was kept contained
an indication that a classification certificate
had been issued in respect of the said work contrary
to section 14(1) of the video recordings act 1984
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