Finance Act, 1976

Onus of proof; defence.

75.—(1) In any proceedings for an offence under this Part it shall not be necessary for the prosecution to negative by evidence the existence of any licence referred to in section 1 of the Act of 1952 and the onus of proving the existence of such licence shall be on the person seeking to avail himself thereof.

(2) In any proceedings for an offence under this Part it shall not be necessary for the prosecution to prove that at the time at which the offence is alleged to have been committed, either by virtue of section 66 (2) or section 69 (4) of this Act, this Part did not apply to, or section 70 of this Act either did not apply to or had not ceased to apply in relation to, the vehicle to which the proceedings relate, or, by virtue of section 69 (5) of this Act or regulations made under section 66 (3) of this Act, the said section 70 or any requirement of this Part, did not apply or had not ceased to apply to the defendant, and in any such proceedings the onus of proving that at the said time this Part did not so apply or the said section 70 either did not apply or had ceased so to apply, shall be on the defendant.

(3) In any proceedings for an offence under this Part in which it is alleged by the prosecution that the defendant caused or authorised the use by another person of a particular vehicle in a public place it shall not be necessary for the prosecution to prove that such use was so caused or authorised, but in such proceedings it shall be a good defence for the defendant to prove that on the occasion in question the vehicle was being used by a person other than the defendant and that the defendant had neither caused nor authorised such use.