19Court may extend compliance period

19 Court may extend compliance period

(1)  On receipt of an application under section 17(1) , a court of petty sessions may make an order extending the compliance period for a fortification removal order if the court is satisfied that it is appropriate to do so in the circumstances.

(2)  A court of petty sessions may extend the compliance period even if the compliance period has ended before the court makes its determination on the application.

(3)  If a compliance period for a fortification removal order has ended before the court of petty sessions makes an order extending the compliance period under subsection (2)  –

(a) the extension of the compliance period for that order is taken to have had effect from the day after the day on which the compliance period initially ended; and

(b) the extension of the compliance period does not affect the validity of an action by a person, including a police officer, undertaken in accordance with this Act between the expiry of the initial compliance period and the making of the order.