ASB/Public Order/Hatred Flashcards
What are the defences to hatred offences?
- Acts were part of a programme service
- Acts took place in a private place and were not noticeable to a person in a public place
- Suspect was not fully aware of the possible effects of their actions
Where can offences of hatred take place?
In public or private but effect of actions must be felt in a public place
What is hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation?
Hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to sexual orientation whether same/opposite/both sexes
What is religious hatred?
Hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to religious beliefs (or lack of?)
What is racial hatred?
Hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to colour, race, nationality (inc citizenship_ or ethnic/national origins
What is a riot?
Essentially violent disorder but 12 or more people must be present
For violent disorder, can only one person be charged?
Yes, but must be proved that at least two other people using or threatening violence were present and they must be mentioned in the charge
How is violent disorder committed?
When 3 or more persons who are present together
use or threaten unlawful violence
and the conduct of them (taken together) is such that would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for their personal safety
- Can be committed in private and public places
- No person of reasonable firmness need actually be at the scene
How many people must be present for the offence of violent disorder?
Three or more
How does someone commit affray?
If they use or threaten violence
towards another
and their conduct is such that would cause a person of reasonable firmness at the scene
to fear for their personal safety
Who are the three parties involved in an affray?
- The individual making threats/action
- The person subject to threats/action
- One or more bystander or sufficient likelihood of one or more bystander
What is a person of reasonable firmness?
Average person in terms of their reaction to violent incident around them
Can a police officer enter premises to arrest someone suspected of a s4 public order offence?
Yes
What are the key features of a section 4 public order offence?
- Conduct directed at person(s) at scene
- Material distributed, not just displayed
- Suspect must intent or be aware of conduct is potentially threatening, abusive or insulting
- Intend to cause fear/provoke violence
What is a section 4 offence of the public order act 1986?
If someone uses threatining, abusive or insulting words or behaviour OR if they distribute/display to another person any writing or sign that is such.
Intent must be to cause a person to believe immediate unlawful violence will be used (against them or another) or provoke immediate use of violence or cause that person to believe violence be used or provoked
Must be intention for recipient to fear violence to themselves or other
What are the defecnes to s4a public order offences?
No reason to believe words/conduct inside a dwelling could be seen or heard
Conduct was reasonable
What is a section 4a offence under the Public Order Act 1986?
Intention to be harassing, alarming, distressing
Guilty if threatening, abusive or insulting
Doesn’t have to be aimed at a specific person
One identifiable perso must be harassed, alarmed or distressed
Material only need be displayed, not distributed
What are the defences to section 5 offence?
In public, but no reason to believe anybody could hear or see conduct.
Ina dwelling and had no reason to believe words, behaviour or conduct could be seen or heard
Conduct was reasonable
What is Section 5 of the public order act 1986?
Causing non-intentional harassment, alarm, distress or disorderly behaviour/conduct
Includes signs but not distribution of material
Doesn’t need to be aimed at a specific person
Must be within presence of someone who can see/hear
Suspect must be aware conduct is abusive/threatening but no need to prove intent
Where can a public order offence take place?
Public place or communal private area
In a private place, but causes a person in a public place to be harassed, alarmed or distressed
What are the offences under the Public Order Act 1986?
s1 - Riot
s2 - Violent Disorder
s3 - Affray
s4 - Fear or Provocation of Violence
s4a - Intentional, harassment, alarm or distress
s5 - Non-intentional harassemtn, alarm or distress
How may an officer enter a premises under breach of peace?
- to make an arrest for a breach of the peace
- or to prevent such a breach
- once breach is over, should leave private premises within a reasonable time
What is the definition of a breach of the peace?
It is committed whenever harm is done to a person (or likely to be)
or in someone’s presence, harm is done to their property (or likely to be)
or when a person is in fear of being harmed via assault, riot or other disturbance
How long can someone be detained under a breach of the peace?
Until no likelihood of a breach recurring
Who can arrest someone for a breach of the peace and how is the arrest lawful?
Anyone, but they must identify the hard and compare the circumstances with definition
Breach must have taken place in their presence or threat be real or imminent
Who and how can issue a closure notice?
Council or police inspector (or above)
Reasonabl ground the premises use is resulting in (or likely to) cause nuisance to public or disorder near premises
How long does a closure notice apply for?
24 Hours
Can be extended by further 24 hours by council CEO or police superintendent
Court can extend by further 48 hours in order to issue a closure order
What do closure notices do?
Close premises that are causing nuisance or disorder