This chapter deals with blackmail and related offences. The crime of blackmail involves making any unwarranted demand with menaces. Blackmail initially appears to have been coextensive with robbery and attempted robbery, but has since embraced more subtle methods of extortion. The law is currently set out in s 21 of the Theft Act 1968. This chapter considers unwarranted demand, the paradox of blackmail, the requirement of a view to gain or intent to cause loss, unlawful harassment of debtors, and other offences based on threats including threats to kill, threats to damage property, threats of food terrorism, demanding payment for unsolicited goods with threats, robbery, assaults, threats of violence for the purpose of securing entry to premises, and sending malicious communications.
Chapter
24. Blackmail and related offences
Chapter
16. Non-fatal offences against the person
This chapter focuses on non-fatal offences against the person, including assault and battery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm, and wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent. It also discusses defences to assault and battery, including consent (and the role of consent in offences beyond a battery), and lawful chastisement, in addition to the Law Commission’s Report on reforming offences against the person. Discussions also extend to non-fatal strangulation and suffocation, racially or religiously aggravated offences, and aggravated assault, together with ill-treatment or wilful neglect, poisoning, false imprisonment, kidnapping and other abduction offences, harassment and stalking, domestic abuse, and encouraging or assisting serious self-harm.
Chapter
31. Offences against public order
The Public Order Act 1986 is the principal source of public order offences. These are riot, violent disorder, and affray, along with inducing fear of violence and behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress. Some of the offences in the 1986 Act may be committed in private, but their public order foundations are paramount and these offences should not be treated as merely additional offences against the person. This chapter deals with offences against public order. It also considers harassment, alarm or distress, racially aggravated public order offences and acts intended or likely to incite racial or religious hatred, and hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation. The chapter also examines offences under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (public nuisance) as well as those under the Public Order Act 2023.
Chapter
24. Blackmail and related offences
David Ormerod and Karl Laird
This chapter deals with blackmail and related offences. The crime of blackmail involves making any unwarranted demand with menaces. Blackmail initially appears to have been coextensive with robbery and attempted robbery, but has since embraced more subtle methods of extortion. The law is currently set out in s 21 of the Theft Act 1968. This chapter considers unwarranted demand, the paradox of blackmail, the requirement of a view to gain or intent to cause loss, unlawful harassment of debtors and other offences based on threats including threats to kill, threats to damage property, threats of food terrorism, demanding payment for unsolicited goods with threats, robbery, assaults, threats of violence for the purpose of securing entry to premises and sending malicious communications.
Chapter
16. Non-fatal offences against the person
David Ormerod and Karl Laird
This chapter focuses on non-fatal offences against the person, including assault and battery, wounding and inflicting grievous bodily harm, poisoning offences, kidnapping, harassment and possession and use of offensive weapons. The chapter also discusses defences to assault and battery including consent and lawful chastisement, in addition to the Law Commission’s Report on reforming offences against the person. The discussion includes a detailed analysis of the relevant statutory offences including the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. It also considers coercive control as well as racially or religiously aggravated versions of the relevant offences.
Chapter
31. Offences against public order (additional chapter)
David Ormerod and Karl Laird
The Public Order Act 1986 is the principal source of public order offences. These are riot, violent disorder and affray, along with inducing fear of violence and behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Some of the offences in the 1986 Act may be committed in private, but their public order foundations are paramount and these offences should not be treated as merely additional offences against the person. This chapter deals with offences against public order. It also considers harassment, alarm or distress, racially aggravated public order offences and acts intended or likely to incite racial or religious hatred and hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation. The chapter concludes by looking at public nuisance and vicarious liability.
