Home / United Kingdom (England & Wales) / Hate crime
Hate crimeVerified against official source
This range was checked against the official legal text. Last verified: 2026-10-19.
Statutory range
CDA s.29 — aggravated wounding / GBH / ABH / strangulation — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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.
Either-way. Aggravated variant of Offences Against the Person Act 1861 ss.20/47 or Serious Crime Act 2015 s.75A.
CDA s.29 — aggravated wounding / GBH / ABH / strangulation — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 7 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.
CDA s.29 — aggravated common assault — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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.
Either-way.
CDA s.29 — aggravated common assault — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 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.
CDA s.30 — aggravated criminal damage — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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.
Either-way.
CDA s.30 — aggravated criminal damage — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 14 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.
CDA s.31 — aggravated public order offences (ss.4/4A) — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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.
Either-way. Aggravated variant of Public Order Act 1986 ss.4/4A.
CDA s.31 — aggravated public order offences (ss.4/4A) — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 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.
CDA s.31 — aggravated s.5 public order offence — summary only
- Imprisonment
- No imprisonment
- Fine
- £0–£2,500 (level 4 on the standard scale)
Summary only; fine only.
CDA s.32 — aggravated harassment / stalking — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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.
Either-way. Aggravated variant of Protection from Harassment Act 1997 ss.2/2A.
CDA s.32 — aggravated harassment / stalking — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 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.
CDA s.32 — aggravated putting in fear of violence / stalking — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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.
Either-way. Aggravated variant of Protection from Harassment Act 1997 ss.4/4A.
CDA s.32 — aggravated putting in fear of violence / stalking — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 14 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.
POA 1986 Part III — stirring up racial hatred (ss.18-23) — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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 in s.27. Covers words/behaviour, written material, plays, recordings, broadcasts, possession of inflammatory material.
POA 1986 Part III — stirring up racial hatred (ss.18-23) — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 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.
POA 1986 Part IIIA — stirring up religious hatred / hatred on grounds of sexual orientation (ss.29B-29G) — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 12 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
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 in s.29L. Requires threatening conduct AND intent to stir up hatred (narrower than Part III). 12-month summary figure applies to offences on/after 2 May 2022; 6 months before that (s.29L(4)).
POA 1986 Part IIIA — stirring up religious hatred / hatred on grounds of sexual orientation (ss.29B-29G) — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 7 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.
Sentencing Act 2020 s.66 — hostility aggravator (enhancement, not an offence)
- Imprisonment
- No separate term — within the underlying offence's maximum
- Fine
- No separate fine — within the underlying offence's range
Court must treat hostility (race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity) as aggravating and state it in open court. Does not apply to CDA ss.29-32 for race/religion (s.66(3)). Adds no range of its own.
Statutory maxima as written in the legislation. CDA ss.29-32 maxima are for the aggravated variants (higher than the basic offences). Sentencing Act 2020 s.66 creates no separate range — it operates within the underlying offence's maximum. Sentencing Council guidelines are guidelines only and are not stated here. Last verified 2026-10-19 against legislation.gov.uk.