Home / United Kingdom (England & Wales) / Harassment and stalking
Harassment and stalkingPossibly — unconfirmed
Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
Summary — s. 2 harassment (course of conduct)Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Fine (amount not stated in clause retrieved)
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Penalty clause not retrieved from legislation.gov.uk in this pass — needs re-check.
Summary — s. 2A stalkingPossibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Fine (amount not stated in clause retrieved)
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Penalty clause not retrieved from legislation.gov.uk in this pass — needs re-check.
Summary — s. 4 putting a person in fear of violencePossibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – general limit in a magistrates' court
- Fine
- Statutory maximum (unlimited for offences committed on/after 12 Mar 2015)
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
On indictment — s. 4Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 10 years
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Raised from 5 to 10 years by the Policing and Crime Act 2017; clause not retrieved in this pass.
Summary — s. 4A stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm/distressPossibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – general limit in a magistrates' court
- Fine
- Statutory maximum (unlimited for offences committed on/after 12 Mar 2015)
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
On indictment — s. 4APossibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 10 years
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Raised from 5 to 10 years by the Policing and Crime Act 2017; verified in current legislation.gov.uk text.
On indictment — s. 5 breach of a restraining orderPossibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 5 years
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Clause not retrieved in this pass — needs re-check.
PARTIAL: s. 4A (10 years) verified from the current legislation.gov.uk text. s. 4 (10 years, raised from 5 by Policing and Crime Act 2017) and ss. 2/2A penalty clauses were not retrieved from legislation.gov.uk in this pass and need re-check. Breach of a restraining order (s. 5): indictment 0–5 years — included per standard texts, needs clause re-check.