Belfast·SPG008 Advertising and Signage·Page 34·7.1.4
Defence of knowledge or consent
A person may not be guilty of an offence if they can prove the unauthorised advertisement was displayed without their knowledge or consent. The council will normally pursue prosecution for advertisements it considers unacceptable.
The Planning Act also makes it clear that in the case of (b) or (c) above, a person shall not be guilty of an offence if he can prove that the unauthorised advertisement was displayed without his knowledge or consent. The council will normally pursue court action for unauthorised advertisements which it considers unacceptable.
Source — /Users/richardhill/Documents/planning-arch-project/data/documents/belfast/SPG008 Advertising and Signage.pdf