Public Order Offences
Our solicitors at Lewenberg & Lewenberg are equipped to advise you on your liability for an offence against public order.
Public order offences are those activities or behaviours which are alleged to cause disruption or offence to the general public.
Public order offences include:
- Using obscene, offensive or threatening language – Section 17
- Being drunk in a public place – Section 13
- Doing graffiti – Graffiti Prevention Act 2007
- Loitering – Section 49B
- Obscene exposure – Section 19
- Begging – Section 49A
- Rioting – Section 16
- Disorderly conduct – Section 17A
- Lighting fires in open air – Section 11
Many of the offences require that the conduct is performed in a public place. Section 3 of the Summary Offences Act 1966 provides an inclusive and wide definition of public place. Public place includes those places which one would ordinarily consider is public (i.e. a road, highway or railway platform etc…) but extends to private roads and vehicles.
For offences such as indecent language and drunkenness, police have the power to issue on-the-spot fines in place of a charge and summons to appear.
Our solicitors at Lewenberg & Lewenberg are equipped to advise you on your liability for an offence against public order and the avenues available to you in answer of a charge or infringement notice.
