Age of Consent in the UK: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
The age of consent is 16 in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, each under its own statute. How the law treats under-13s and positions of trust.
5 min read
UK Criminal Law
23 articles
Age of Criminal Responsibility in the UK: 10 in England, Wales and NI, 12 in Scotland
The age of criminal responsibility is 10 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 12 in Scotland since December 2021, the highest in the UK.
3 min read
BB Gun and Imitation Firearm Law in the UK
Owning an ordinary BB gun as an adult is lawful in the UK. What the law actually bans: realistic replicas, sales to under-18s, and carrying one in public.
6 min read
Being Arrested in the UK: Your Rights in Police Custody
Your rights if arrested in the UK: free legal advice, having someone informed, and the detention time limits in England and Wales, Scotland, and NI.
8 min read
Citizen's Arrest in the UK: Powers, Limits and Real Risk
Citizen's arrest under PACE 1984, s.24A in England and Wales, Article 26A in Northern Ireland, and Scotland's common law rule, plus the risk of getting it wrong.
9 min read
Common Assault, ABH and GBH: UK Sentences Explained
Common assault, ABH and GBH sentences explained: maximum penalties and how sentencing guidelines work in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
10 min read
Criminal Damage Law UK: Charges and Penalties Explained
How criminal damage is charged and sentenced in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, including the £5,000 threshold and the Penalty Notice for Disorder route.
9 min read
Criminal Legal Aid Eligibility: The Merits and Means Tests Explained
How the interests-of-justice (Widgery) test and the means test decide criminal legal aid eligibility in England and Wales, plus the separate Scotland and Northern Ireland systems.
8 min read
Fixed Penalty Notices and PNDs Explained: Not a Conviction, Not a Caution
How Penalty Notices for Disorder work under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, how they differ from a caution, and whether they show on a DBS check.
10 min read
Is Pepper Spray or a Stun Gun Legal in the UK?
Pepper spray and stun guns are prohibited weapons across the UK. What the law bans, the real maximum sentence, and when the 5-year minimum claim is wrong.
6 min read
Jury Service in England and Wales: Eligibility, Pay and Verdicts
Who qualifies for jury service in England and Wales, what disqualifies you, how much you're paid, and how a 12-person jury reaches a majority verdict under the Juries Act 1974.
8 min read
Jury Service in Scotland: 15 Jurors and the End of Not Proven
How Scottish criminal juries work: 15 jurors, the procurator fiscal, and the move from three verdicts to two for trials starting on or after 1 January 2026.
7 min read
Magistrates' Court vs Crown Court: UK Sentencing Powers Explained
Magistrates' court vs Crown Court in the UK: which offences go where, the current 12 month magistrates' sentencing limit, and how Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.
8 min read
Malicious Communications UK: Is an Abusive Message a Crime?
Whether sending an abusive, threatening or false message is a crime in the UK under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and the Online Safety Act 2023, and how Scotland differs.
8 min read
Miranda Rights UK: What the PACE Caution Actually Says
The UK has no Miranda rights. This guide compares the PACE caution, the right to a free duty solicitor, and how staying silent can count against you at trial.
6 min read
Police Cautions in the UK: Simple and Conditional Cautions Explained
How simple and conditional police cautions work, when you can refuse one, and how a caution affects a DBS check, including the filtering rules.
8 min read
Released Under Investigation (RUI) vs Pre-Charge Bail in the UK
What being released under investigation, RUI, means, how it differs from pre-charge police bail, the time limits that apply, and how Scotland compares.
8 min read
Self-Defence Law in the UK: Reasonable Force Explained
UK self-defence law: the reasonable force test under s.76, the England and Wales householder defence for a trespasser at home, and the rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
10 min read
Stop and Search Laws in the UK: PACE, GOWISELY and Section 60 Explained
How UK stop and search law works: PACE 1984 reasonable grounds, the GOWISELY checklist, suspicion-less section 60 searches, and how Scotland's rules differ.
9 min read
The Right to Remain Silent in the UK: The Caution and Adverse Inferences
The exact police caution wording, and when staying silent can let a court draw an adverse inference under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
7 min read
UK Criminal Law and Your Rights: England, Scotland & NI
How criminal law works across the UK's three legal systems: England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with guides to arrest, cautions, and more.
7 min read
UK Drinking Age: Buying and Drinking Alcohol Rules by Nation
The minimum age to buy alcohol is 18 across the UK. England, Wales and Scotland allow 16 and 17 year olds to drink with a meal; Northern Ireland does not.
5 min read
UK Knife Laws: Carrying, Good Reason and the Banned Blades
UK knife law: the s.139 carrying offence, the 3-inch folding knife exemption, the 2024 zombie-knife and 2025 ninja-sword bans, and what is not yet in force.
9 min read