s 45 Liability of owner, etc., of vehicle for offence committed
45.—(1) When an offence under this Act is committed in relation to a vehicle, the person who at the time of the commission of the offence is the owner of the vehicle or, in the case of a deregistered vehicle, is the person who immediately prior to the deregistration was registered as the owner of the vehicle in respect of which the offence is committed shall be guilty of the offence in all respects as if the person were the actual offender guilty of the offence unless the court is satisfied that the vehicle was at the relevant time a stolen vehicle or a vehicle illegally taken or used. (2) Nothing in this section affects the liability of the actual offender but, where a penalty has been imposed on or recovered from a person in relation to an offence, no further penalty may be imposed on or recovered from any other person in relation thereto. (3) Despite subsection (1), no owner of a vehicle shall, by virtue of this section, be guilty of an offence if the owner —(a) within 14 days after service on the owner of a notice alleging that the owner has been guilty of an offence, provides by a statement in writing to the Commissioner stating truthfully the name and address of the person who was in charge of the vehicle at all relevant times relating to the offence concerned; or (b) satisfies the court that the owner did not know and would not with reasonable diligence have ascertained such name and address. (4) A statement made under subsection (3) if produced in any proceedings against the person named therein in respect of the offence concerned is sufficient evidence that such person was in charge of the vehicle at all relevant times relating to such offence unless evidence to the contrary is adduced.