A person commits an offence if—
the person discloses any matter within subsection (2);
the disclosure is likely to prejudice any investigation that might be conducted following the disclosure referred to in that subsection; and
the information on which the disclosure is based came to the person in the course of a business in the regulated sector.
The matters are that the person or another person has made a disclosure under this Part—
to a constable,
to an officer of Revenue and Customs,
to a nominated officer, or
to a National Crime Agency officer authorised for the purposes of this Part by the Director General of that Agency,of information that came to that person in the course of a business in the regulated sector.
A person commits an offence if—
the person discloses that an investigation into allegations that an offence under this Part has been committed is being contemplated or is being carried out;
the disclosure is likely to prejudice that investigation; and
the information on which the disclosure is based came to the person in the course of a business in the regulated sector.
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both;
on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine, or to both.
This section is subject to—
section 333B (disclosures within an undertaking or group etc),
section 333C (other permitted disclosures between institutions etc), and
section 333D (other permitted disclosures etc).