Penalty Info

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United Kingdom (England & Wales)

England & Wales — Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Theft Act 1968, Offences Against the Person Act 1861, Sexual Offences Act 2003, Fraud Act 2006, Road Traffic Act 1988, Criminal Damage Act 1971, Computer Misuse Act 1990, Firearms Act 1968, Sentencing Act 2020

How fines work here

Fine note — England & Wales: on indictment, fines are generally unlimited unless the statute states a figure. On summary conviction, “the statutory maximum”, “the prescribed sum” or “level 5” fines are unlimited for offences on/after 12 March 2015 (Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 s.85); lower standard-scale levels and specific sums stay capped as written.

Offences by family

Against the person

Administering poison or a noxious substance

Offences Against the Person Act 1861, ss. 22–24

Possibly — unconfirmed

Assault (aggravated)

Offences Against the Person Act 1861 ss.18, 20

Possibly — unconfirmed

Assault (simple)

Criminal Justice Act 1988 s.39 (common assault and battery); Offences Against the Person Act 1861 s.47 (ABH)

Possibly — unconfirmed

Corporate manslaughter

Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, ss. 1, 9, 10

Verified against official source

Domestic violence

No standalone offence — see tiers: Serious Crime Act 2015 s.76; Family Law Act 1996 s.42A; Protection from Harassment Act 1997 s.4; plus underlying offences (assault, sexual offences)

Verified against official source

Harassment and stalking

Protection from Harassment Act 1997, ss. 2, 2A, 4, 4A, 5

Possibly — unconfirmed

Hate crime

Crime and Disorder Act 1998 ss.28-32; Public Order Act 1986 Part III (ss.18-23, penalty s.27) and Part IIIA (ss.29B-29G, penalty s.29L); Sentencing Act 2020 s.66

Verified against official source

Homicide — manslaughter

Manslaughter (common law); partial defences: Homicide Act 1957 s.2 (diminished responsibility, as amended by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 s.52); Coroners and Justice Act 2009 ss.54–56

Possibly — unconfirmed

Homicide — murder

Murder (common law); sentence: Sentencing Act 2020 ss.321–322 & Sch 21

Verified against official source

Kidnapping and false imprisonment

Common law (no statute)

Verified against official source

Modern slavery and human trafficking

Modern Slavery Act 2015, ss. 1, 2, 4, 5

Verified against official source

Threats to kill

Offences Against the Person Act 1861, s. 16

Verified against official source

Unlawful abortion and child destruction

Offences Against the Person Act 1861, ss. 58–60; Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, s. 1

Possibly — unconfirmed

Sexual offences

Sexual assault / rape

Sexual Offences Act 2003 ss.1, 2, 3

Verified against official source

Property

Abstracting electricity

Theft Act 1968, s. 13

Verified against official source

Arson

Criminal Damage Act 1971, ss. 1, 4

Verified against official source

Blackmail

Theft Act 1968, s. 21

Verified against official source

Burglary

Theft Act 1968 ss.9, 10

Verified against official source

Going equipped for stealing

Theft Act 1968, s. 25

Verified against official source

Handling stolen goods

Theft Act 1968, s. 22

Verified against official source

Making off without payment

Theft Act 1978, ss. 3, 4

Verified against official source

Robbery

Theft Act 1968 s.8

Verified against official source

Taking a vehicle without consent (incl. aggravated vehicle-taking)

Theft Act 1968, ss. 12, 12A (s. 12A inserted by Aggravated Vehicle-Taking Act 1992)

Verified against official source

Theft

Theft Act 1968 ss.1, 7

Verified against official source

Vandalism / criminal damage

Criminal Damage Act 1971 ss.1–3; penalty in s.4

Verified against official source

Fraud & financial

Counterfeiting currency

Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981, ss. 14–22

Verified against official source

False accounting

Theft Act 1968, s. 17

Verified against official source

Forgery

Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981, ss. 1–6

Verified against official source

Fraud

Fraud Act 2006 ss.1–4 (fraud); s.11 (obtaining services dishonestly)

Verified against official source

Money laundering

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, ss. 327–329, 330–332, 334

Verified against official source

Tax evasion (cheating the public revenue and statutory evasion)

Common law (cheat the public revenue); Value Added Tax Act 1994, s. 72; Taxes Management Act 1970, s. 106A; Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, ss. 50, 170, 170B

Possibly — unconfirmed

Drugs

Drug possession

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 s.5(2); penalties in Sch 4

Verified against official source

Drug trafficking / sale

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 ss.4(2), 4(3), 5(3); penalties in Sch 4

Verified against official source

Weapons

Weapons offences

Firearms Act 1968 Sch 6 & s.51A; Sentencing Act 2020 ss.311, 315; Criminal Justice Act 1988 s.139

Verified against official source

Public order

Public order offences

Public Order Act 1986, ss. 1–5, 4A

Possibly — unconfirmed

Against the state

Official secrets / unauthorised disclosure

Official Secrets Act 1989, ss. 1–8, 10

Verified against official source

Organized crime

Serious Crime Act 2007 Part 2 (ss.44-46; penalty s.58) and s.25 (breach of serious crime prevention order); Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 ss.327-332 (penalty s.334); Modern Slavery Act 2015 ss.1, 2, 4 (penalty s.5); Criminal Law Act 1977 ss.1, 3

Verified against official source

Terrorism

Terrorism Act 2000, ss. 11, 15–18, 22, 54, 56–58; Terrorism Act 2006, ss. 1, 2, 5, 13

Possibly — unconfirmed

Treason and treason felony

Treason Act 1351; Treason Act 1702; Treason Act 1814; Treason Felony Act 1848, s. 3; Crime and Disorder Act 1998, s. 36

Possibly — unconfirmed

Traffic & transport

Causing death or serious injury by driving

Road Traffic Act 1988, ss. 1, 1A, 2B, 2C, 3ZB, 3ZC, 3A; Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Sch. 2

Possibly — unconfirmed

Dangerous and careless driving (no death/serious injury)

Road Traffic Act 1988, ss. 2, 3; Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Sch. 2

Verified against official source

DUI / drink driving

Road Traffic Act 1988 ss.4, 5, 5A, 3A; penalties in Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 Sch 2

Possibly — unconfirmed

Other road traffic offences (licence, insurance, failing to stop)

Road Traffic Act 1988, ss. 87, 103, 143, 163, 170; Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Sch. 2

Possibly — unconfirmed

Cyber & digital

Cybercrime / hacking

Computer Misuse Act 1990 ss.1, 2, 3, 3ZA, 3A

Possibly — unconfirmed

Malicious and abusive communications

Malicious Communications Act 1988, s. 1; Communications Act 2003, s. 127

Possibly — unconfirmed

Environment & wildlife

Animal cruelty and welfare

Animal Welfare Act 2006, ss. 4–9, 32

Verified against official source

Environmental offences (waste / fly-tipping)

Environmental Protection Act 1990, s. 33

Possibly — unconfirmed

Wildlife offences

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, ss. 1–14, 21

Possibly — unconfirmed

Immigration & borders

Immigration offences

Immigration Act 1971, ss. 24, 25, 25A

Possibly — unconfirmed

Corruption & justice

Bribery

Bribery Act 2010, ss. 1, 2, 6, 7, 11

Verified against official source

Contempt of court

Contempt of Court Act 1981, s. 14; Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, s. 18

Verified against official source

Perjury

Perjury Act 1911, ss. 1–5

Verified against official source

Perverting the course of justice

Common law (no statute)

Verified against official source

Witness intimidation

Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, s. 51

Possibly — unconfirmed

Children & vulnerable people

Child abduction

Child Abduction Act 1984, ss. 1, 2, 4

Verified against official source

Child cruelty and neglect

Children and Young Persons Act 1933, s. 1

Possibly — unconfirmed

Female genital mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, ss. 1–3A, 5

Verified against official source

Family & marriage

Bigamy

Offences Against the Person Act 1861, s. 57

Verified against official source

Forced marriage

Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, ss. 120, 121

Verified against official source

State law

Penalties can differ below the central level. These pages show what the state’s own law sets — where a state sets no separate criminal penalty, the entry says so and links the central range instead of repeating it.

States

Not legal advice. Ranges only — never a prediction of any individual sentence. Last verified: 2026-10-19.