Offences against the Person Act 1861

HC Deb 20 July 1987 vol 120 cc53-4W

Mr. Foulkes

asked the Attorney-General how many prosecutions there have been since 1957 under section 9 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861; and, in each case, what was the name of the defendant or defendants and the outcome of the prosecution.

The Attorney-General

Section 9 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 gives British courts jurisdiction to try the offences of murder and manslaughter where those offences have been committed on land outside the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. Persons brought to justice in this country by virtue of this section are charged with murder or manslaughter under Common Law. The Director of Public Prosecutions does not compile records of those cases in which offences of murder or manslaughter committed abroad have been tried in this country, and figures cannot be ascertained without incurring disproportionate cost. However, I have been informed that it is not uncommon for such cases to come before the courts.