Search Legislation

Crime and Courts Act 2013

Section 57: Public order offences

680.Section 57 removes the ‘insulting’ limb from section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 (“the 1986 Act”), thereby making the use of insulting words, behaviour etc which is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress no longer a criminal offence.

681.Subsection (2) removes the word ‘insulting’ from section 5(1) of the 1986 Act, which sets out the offence.

682.Subsection (3) removes the word ‘insulting’ from section 6(4) of the 1986 Act, which provides that a person is guilty of an offence under section 5 only if they intend their words, behaviour etc to be threatening, abusive or insulting, or are aware that their words, behaviour etc may be threatening, abusive or insulting.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources