12APerson not liable for conduct purportedly authorised

12A Person not liable for conduct purportedly authorised

(1) To avoid doubt, a person is not criminally responsible for a licence offence in respect of particular conduct if: (a) the conduct by the person is purportedly authorised by a provision of a general licence or mitochondrial donation licence; and (b) the licence or the provision is invalid, whether because of a technical defect or irregularity or for any other reason; and (c) the person did not know, and could not reasonably be expected to have known, of the invalidity of the licence or the provision. (2) In this section:

general licence includes a purported general licence.

licence offence means:

(a) for a general licence—an offence against section 10, 10A, 10B or 12; or
(b) for a mitochondrial donation licence—an offence against:
(i) section 10; or
(ii) section 10A, in so far as it applies because of subparagraph (b)(i) or (ii) of that section; or
(iii) section 10B in so far as it applies to a pre‑clinical research and training licence, a clinical trial research and training licence or a clinical practice research and training licence; or
(iv) section 11, 11A or 12.

mitochondrial donation licence includes a purported mitochondrial donation licence.