Most public disorder offences are considered summary offences, which is to say, a less serious offence that is normally dealt with in the local Magistrate’s Court. Vanessa Ash can support you in court so the outcome is minimal.
The key points of any public order offence is
1. who was it;
2. what danger did they pose to victims or property; and
3. what was their motivation?
Some common charges are:
- Affray
- Delaying entry of police
- Being drunk in public
- Drunks being disorderly or riotous
- Rout (a disorderly retreat, for example after a riot)
- Obscene exposure
- Indecent or obscene, threatening language and behaviour in public
- Being a public nuisance
- Unlawful assembly
- Disturbing a religious worship
- Offensive behaviour from someone in a motor vehicle in a declared area
The list of public order offences is big and sometimes really funny
The list of public order offences is reasonably large, and offences range from blocking a footpath, to tattooing someone under the age of consent, to being disguised with illegal intent. The array of minor crimes is vast and sometimes you can easily see how rooted in history it is – it refers to retrieving payment for stolen cattle, appropriate usage of horse-drawn carriages, and rolling a cask or barrel down a street in a dangerous manner.
It covers a wide gamut of human behaviour that could possibly disrupt the peace or cause injury or damage to a person or property. These laws are designed, in essence, to maintain public order and protect us from the stupidity of our fellows. This means they usually don’t come with extensive punishments, but they can cause financial hardship or time in prison. Just because something was silly and potentially funny at the time doesn’t mean it will be found funny in court.
Hard to prove, often thrown out of court
These charges can include rioting and public affray, which have traditionally been quite hard to prove, but with the advent of cameras on hand, evidence is more easily available.
If you are due in court for public disorder, it is wise to call lawyer Vanessa Ash for legal advice beforehand so you are armed with a defence. Avoiding hefty penalties and suspension of civil liberties like driving can really cause problems, so you really do want the best outcome.
Write your own story. Call Vanessa Ash and Associates today.