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Public Order – New Sentencing Guidelines
New sentencing guidelines for public order offences come in to force for adults sentenced on or after 1 January 2020. In August 2008, the Sentencing Guidelines Council published Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines (MCSG). The guidelines covered a number of public order offences; the offence of affray and summary offences relating to threatening and disorderly behaviour provided for by...Read More
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Policing Public Protest – A Question of Balance
Environmental protests across London in recent days have caused massive disruption and are set to spread across other towns and cities over the coming weeks and months. Public protest has always been a legitimate and important part of the democratic process and is enshrined in law. But, how do the police balance the right to protest as against the rights of other people to go about their...Read More
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Soubry and the Nazi Slur – An Offence?
Was it an offence to accuse Anna Soubry of being a Nazi whilst she was broadcasting on Sky News? Potentially, is the answer. The Public Order Act 1986 contains the most likely candidates for any prosecution, in sections 4, 4A, and 5. These sections deal with ‘lower level’ public order offences. What are those provisions? Section 4 is also known as ‘threatening behaviour’, and sections 4A and 5...Read More
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