The magistrates' court may impose a fine instead of sentencing the offender to imprisonment or other detention (unless an Act passed after 31 December 1879 expressly provides to the contrary).
In the case of an offence which—
is triable either way, and
was committed before 12 March 2015,
a fine imposed under subsection (2) may not exceed the prescribed sum (within the meaning of section 32 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980).
In this section “enactment” includes an enactment contained in a local Act or in any order, regulation or other instrument having effect by virtue of an Act.