156Use of equipment at premises

#### 156 Use of equipment at premises (1) The inspector may operate equipment at the premises to see whether evidential material is accessible by doing so, if the inspector believes on reasonable grounds that the operation of the equipment can be carried out without damage to the equipment. (2) If the inspector, after operating the equipment, finds that evidential material is accessible by doing so, the inspector may: (a) seize the equipment and any disk, tape or other associated device; or (b) if the material can, by using facilities at the premises, be put in documentary form—operate the facilities to put the material in that form and seize the documents so produced; or (c) if the material can be transferred to a disk, tape or other storage device that: (i) is brought to the premises; or (ii) is at the premises and the use of which for the purpose has been agreed to in writing by the occupier of the premises; operate the equipment or other facilities to copy the material to the storage device and take the storage device from the premises. (3) An inspector may seize equipment under paragraph (2)(a) only if: (a) it is not practicable to put the material in documentary form as mentioned in paragraph (2)(b) or to copy the material as mentioned in paragraph (2)(c); or (b) possession by the occupier of the equipment could constitute an offence. (4) An inspector may seize equipment under paragraph (2)(a) or documents under paragraph (2)(b) only if the inspector entered the premises under a warrant.