Defence Act 1954
Unauthorised use, etc., of decorations, etc.
267.—(1) If—
(a) any unauthorised person (in this subsection referred to as the offender) uses or wears any article to which this section applies or any colourable imitation thereof, or
(b) any person (in this subsection referred to as the offender) falsely represents himself to be a person who is or has been entitled to wear any article to which this section applies, or
(c) any person (in this subsection referred to as the offender), without lawful authority or excuse (the proof whereof shall lie on such person), supplies or offers to supply any article to which this section applies to a person not authorised to use or wear it,
the offender shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding F391[200] pounds or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for any term not exceeding three months.
(2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall be construed as rendering unlawful the use, wear or supply of ordinary regimental badges or any brooch or ornament representing those badges.
(3) This section applies to any article, relating to or connected with service in the Defence Forces, supplied or authorised by the Minister, being—
(a) a decoration, or
(b) a medal ribbon, or
(c) a badge, or
(d) a wound or service stripe, or
(e) rank insignia, or
(f) an emblem.
Annotations
Amendments:
F391
Substituted (24.06.1987) by Defence (Amendment) Act 1987 (8/1987), s. 2, item 24, commenced on enactment, subject to transitional provision in s. 16. A fine of £200 converted (1.01.1999) to €253.95. This translates into a Class E fine not exceeding €500 as provided (4.01.2011) by Fines Act 2010 (8/2010), ss. 3, 8(3) and table ref. no. 3, S.I. No. 662 of 2010.