Criminal Law Act 1977

Criminal Law Act 1977 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 24 September 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date.

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the affected provisions when you open the content using the Table of Contents below.

Changes and effects yet to be applied to :

• s. 6(3) repealed by 1994 c. 33s. 72(4)168(3)Sch. 11
• s. 8(3) words substituted by 2003 c. 44Sch. 26para. 24

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

• Blanket amendment words substituted by S.I. 2011/1043art. 34

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

• s. 38A(5)(ia) by 2000 c. 43Sch. 7para. 55
• s. 38B(5)(a) by 2000 c. 43Sch. 7para. 56

1. Introductory Text
2. Part I Conspiracy
   1. 1.The offence of conspiracy.
   2. 1A.Conspiracy to commit offences outside England and Wales .
   3. 2.Exemptions from liability for conspiracy.
   4. 3.Penalties for conspiracy.
   5. 4.Restrictions on the institution of proceedings for conspiracy.
   6. 5.Abolitions, savings, transitional provisions, consequential amendment and repeals.
   1. 6.Violence for securing entry.
   2. 7.Adverse occupation of residential premises.
   3. 8.Trespassing with a weapon of offence.
   4. 9.Trespassing on premises of foreign missions, etc.
   5. 10.Obstruction of enforcement officers and court officers executing High Court or county court process .
   6. 11.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   7. 12.Supplementary provisions.
   8. 12A.Protected intending occupiers: supplementary provisions.
   9. 13.Abolitions and repeals.
   1. 14.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   2. Allocation of offences to classes as regards mode of trial
      1. 15.Offences which are to become triable only summarily.
      2. 16.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      3. 17.Offence which is to become triable only on indictment.
      4. 18—26.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      1. 27.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      2. 28.Penalties on summary conviction for offences triable either way.
      3. 29.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      4. 30.Penalties (and mode of trial) for offences made triable only summarily.
      5. 31.Increase of fines for certain summary offences.
      6. 32.Other provisions as to maximum fines.
      7. 33.Penalty for offences under section 3 of Explosive Substances Act 1883.
      1. 34, 35.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      2. 36.Enforcement of fines imposed on young offenders.
      3. 37.Supervision orders.
      1. 38.Execution throughout United Kingdom of warrants of arrest.
      2. 38A.Execution in different parts of United Kingdom of warrants for imprisonment for non-payment of fine.
      3. 38B.Further provision for execution of warrants of commitment for non-payment of sum adjudged to be paid by conviction in England and Wales or Northern Ireland.
      4. 39.Service of summonses and citation throughout United Kingdom.
      5. 40.Transfer of fine orders.
      1. 41, 42.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      2. 43.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      3. 44.Appeals against conviction.
      4. 45.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      5. 46.Committal for sentence for offences tried summarily.
      6. 47.Prison sentence partly served and partly suspended.
      7. 48.Power to make rules as to furnishing of information by prosecutor in criminal proceedings.
      8. 49.Power to order search of persons before Crown Court.
      1. 50.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      2. 51.Bomb hoaxes.
      3. 52.Misuse of Drugs Act 1971: redefinition of cannabis.
      4. 53.Amendments of Obscene Publications Act 1959 with respect to cinematograph exhibitions.
      5. 54.Inciting girl under sixteen to have incestuous sexual intercourse.
      6. 55.(1) . . . . . . . . .
      7. 56.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      8. 57.Probation and conditional discharge: power to vary statutory minimum or maximum period.
      9. 58.Proceedings involving persons under 17: increase of certain pecuniary limits.
      10. 59—61.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      11. 62.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      1. 63.Provisions applying to Scotland.
      1. 64.Meaning of “indictable offence”, “summary offence” and “offence triable either way” in England and Wales.
      2. 65.Citation, etc.
      1. SCHEDULE 1Offences Made Triable Only Summarily, and Related Amendments
      2. SCHEDULES 2—4. . .
      3. SCHEDULE 5Alteration of Penalties on Summary Conviction of Certain Offences Triable Either Way
         1. 1.(1) The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 shall be amended.
         2. 2.. . . . . . . . . .
         1. 1.. . . . . . . . . .
         2. Scotland
            1. 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
            2. 3.. . . . . . . . . .
            1. Probation orders
               1. 1.Where a court makes an order under section 47(1) above.
               1. 2.(1) In relation to a sentence of imprisonment part of.
               1. 3.(1) If it appears to the Crown Court, where that.
               1. 3A.(1) This paragraph applies where— (a) an offender is serving.
               1. 4.Where the offender is before the Crown Court with a.
               2. 5.Where the offender has been before a court with a.
               3. 6.For the purposes of any enactment conferring rights of appeal.
               1. 7.Subject to section 60(1C) of the Criminal Justice Act 1967.
               2. 8.Where an offender is sentenced to imprisonment with an order.
               3. 9.In section 21 of the Firearms Act 1968 (prohibition on.
               4. 10.In section 67 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 (computation.
               5. 11.In section 1 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
               1. 1.There shall be inserted after section 193 a new section.
               2. 2.There shall be inserted after section 283 a new section.
               3. 3.. . . . . . . . . .
               4. 4.(1) In section 289(a), for “£150” there shall be substituted.
               5. 5.There shall be inserted after section 289 new sections as.
               6. 6.. . . . . . . . . .
               7. 7.For section 394(b) there shall be substituted the following paragraph—.
               8. 8.In section 397(1) for the words “or under section 72A.
               9. 9.In section 414(1) after the word “convicted” there shall be.
               10. 10.In section 462, in the interpretation of “fine” there shall.
               11. 11—13.. . . . . . . . . .
               1. NIGHT POACHING ACT 1828 (C. 69)
                  1. 1.In section 2 (assaults by persons committing offences under the.
                  2. 2.In section 9 (entering land, with others, armed and for.
                  1. Section 24 (offence of possessing stolen goods without a satisfactory.
                  1. In section 8 (abettors in misdmeanors,) for “any misdemeanor” substitute.
                  1. For section 16 (sending letters threatening to murder) substitute— Threats.
                  1. Section 7 (offences of possessing, without a satisfactory explanation public.
                  1. In section 3(1) (attempt to cause explosion, or making or.
                  1. Section 4(2) (duty of coroner to take depositions in a.
                  1. In section 29(5)(carrying on an unregistered voluntary home) omit the.
                  1. In section 29(4) (correction of error in register resulting from.
                  1. 1.A prosecution for an offence to which paragraph 14 or.
                  2. 2.In paragraphs 17 and 18 of the said Part II.
                  1. In section 50 (prohibition of certain payments), after subsection (3).
                  1. In section 3(3) (powers of search and seizure) at end.
                  1. 1.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  2. 2.(1) Section 26 (transfer of prisoner to serve sentence) shall.
                  3. 3.(1) Section 28 (transfer of prisoner for trial) shall be.
                  4. 4.(1) Section 29 (removal of detained person in the interests.
                  5. 5.In section 39(1) (interpretation) in paragraph (b) of the definition.
                  1. 1.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  2. 2.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  1. In section 65, after subsection (1) (penalty for failure to.
                  1. In section 110, after subsection (1) (penalty for failure to.
                  1. In section 2(1) (under which an offence carrying a sentence.
                  1. 1.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  2. 2.In section 22, as amended by paragraph 37 of Schedule.
                  3. 3.In section 23(2) (requirements as to bringing before a justice.
                  4. 4.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  5. 5.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  6. 6.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  7. 7.(1) Section 60 (release on license of persons serving determinate.
                  8. 8.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  9. 9.in subsection 91 (drunkeness in a public place) omit subsection.
                  1. 1.In subsection 49(1) (certain offences to be triable summarily), after.
                  2. 2.Paragraph 1 above shall be deemed to have had an.
                  1. For paragraph 3 of Part II of Schedule 6 (under.
                  1. . . . . . . . . . .
                  1. .
                  1. 1.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  2. 2.In section 13(3) (selection of supervisor for person placed under.
                  3. 3.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  4. 4.In section 16(10) (meaning of “ attendance centre order” etc.
                  5. 5.In paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 (restriction on power to.
                  6. 6.Paragraphs 1 and 3 above, and any related repeal provided.
                  1. Paragraph 9 of Schedule 6 (right of members of value.
                  1. 1.In section 9(4) (abatement of salaries of holders of certain.
                  2. 2.Paragraph 1 above shall be deemed to have had effect.
                  1. 1.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  2. 2.For section 2(5)(b) (which requires a probation order requiring residence.
                  3. 3.In section 9(1) (breach of conditional discharge by young offenders)—.
                  4. 4.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  5. 5.In section 17(3) (power of Crown Court to revoke or.
                  6. 6.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  7. 7.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  8. 8.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  9. 9.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  10. 10.Paragraph 3(2)(b) of Schedule 1 (which precludes a supervising court.
                  11. 11.Minor and Consequential Amendments
                  1. .
                  1. In section 15(6)(d) (power to restrict punishments which can be.
                  1. In section 6(6)( a ) (convictions in England and Wales.
                  1. 1.In section 2(2), in the definition of “court”, for “a.
                  2. 2.In section 3(8) (power of the court granting bail to.
                  3. 3.(1) Section 5 (supplementary provisions about bail) shall be amended.
                  4. 4.. . . . . . . . . .
                  1. 1.A provision contained in any of sections 15 and 17.
                  2. 2.. . . . . . . . . .
                  3. 3.(1) This paragraph applies to any provision of this Act.
                  4. 4.. . . . . . . . . .
                  5. 5.Except as provided in paragraph 3 above a provision of.

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