652   Acting in civic office while subject to disqualification

(1)  A person who acts in a civic office while disqualified from holding the office is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

(2)  If the court is satisfied that an offence under this section was of a trifling character comprising acts done in good faith while in ignorance of the fact that the result would be disqualification, the court may:

(a)  dismiss the case, or

(b)  proceed to conviction and declare that section 276 (3) does not apply to the conviction or applies only to a specified extent.

(3)  A declaration by a court under this section as to the application of section 276 (3) has effect according to its tenor.