(1) An officer or employee of a building society or a subsidiary or other associated body who knowingly or recklessly makes a statement to which this section applies that is misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) This section applies to any statement made to the auditors of a society (whether orally or in writing) which conveys, or purports to convey, any information or explanation which they require under this Act, or are entitled so to require, as auditors of the society.

(3) An officer or employee of a society or of a subsidiary or other associated body who fails to provide to the auditors of the society, within 2 days (not including a Saturday, a Sunday or a public holiday) of the making of the relevant requirement, any information or explanations that the auditors require as auditors of the society and that is within the knowledge of or can be procured by the officer or employee shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) In a prosecution for an offence under this section, it shall be a defence for the defendant to show that it was not reasonably possible for him to comply with the requirements under subsection (3) to which the offence relates within the time specified in that subsection but that he complied therewith as soon as was reasonably possible after the expiration of such time.