Larceny Act 1861

Larceny Act 1861[a]
Act of Parliament
coat of arms
Long titleAn Act to consolidate and amend the Statute Law of England and Ireland relating to Larceny and other similar Offences.
Citation24 & 25 Vict. c. 96
Territorial extent [b]
Dates
Royal assent6 August 1861
Commencement1 November 1861[c]
Repealed
Other legislation
Amended by
Repealed by
Relates to
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Larceny Act 1861[a] (24 & 25 Vict. c. 96) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (as it then was) that consolidated provisions related to larceny and similar offences from a number of earlier statutes into a single act. For the most part these provisions were, according to the draftsman of the act,[1] incorporated with little or no variation in their phraseology. It is one of a group of acts sometimes referred to as the Criminal Law Consolidation Acts 1861. It was passed with the object of simplifying the law. It is essentially a revised version of an earlier consolidation act, the Larceny Act 1827 (7 & 8 Geo. 4. c. 29) (and the equivalent Irish act), incorporating subsequent statutes.[2]

Subsequent developments

Section 113 of the act was repealed by section 2 of, and the schedule to, the Public Authorities Protection Act 1893 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 61), which came into force on 1 January 1894.[3]

The following provisions of the act were repealed by section 48(1) of, and the schedule to, the Larceny Act 1916.

In section 1, from " the term " 'trustee'" to "bankruptcy " or insolvency " ; and from " for the purposes of this Act, " the night" to " succeeding " day."
Sections 2–11, both inclusive.
In section 18, from " and " whosoever" to the end of the section.
In section 19, from "and " whosoever " to the end of the section.
Section 20.
In section 26, from the beginning of the section to " simple larceny and."
In section 27, the words " shall steal, or."
In section 28, the words " shall steal, or."
In section 29, the words, " steal or."
In section 30, the words " shall steal or."
Sections 31 and 32.
In section 33, from " and whosoever having been " twice convicted " to the end of the section.
In section 36, from " and " whosoever " to the end of the section.
Section 38.
Sections 40–64, both inclusive.
Sections 67–74, both inclusive.
Sections 77–81, both inclusive.
Sections 88 to 96, both inclusive.
In section 98, the words " except only a receiver of stolen " property."
Sections 100 and 101.
Section 114.

Section 87 of the act was repealed for England and Wales by section 10(2) of, and part II of schedule 3 to, the Criminal Law Act 1967, which came into force on 1 January 1968.[4]

The whole act was repealed for England and Wales by section 33(3) of, and part I of schedule 3 to, the Theft Act 1968, which came into force on 1 January 1969.[5]

The whole act was repealed for Northern Ireland by section 31(2) of, and part I of schedule 3 to, the Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969, which came into force on 1 August 1969.[6]

The act was retained for the Republic of Ireland by section 2(2)(a) of, and part 4 of schedule 1 to, the Statute Law Revision Act 2007, which came into force on 8 May 2007. Sections 12, 16, 24 and 25 continue in force.[7]

Provisions

Section 2 - All larcenies to be of the same nature

Davis said that the marginal note to section 2 of the act ("all larcenies to be of the same nature") was "imperfect" and that this was "obvious".[8]

As to larceny from the person and other like offences

As to sacrilege, burglary and housebreaking

Section 50 - Breaking and entering a church or chapel and committing any felony

See sacrilege.

As to restitution and recovery of stolen property

Section 102 - Advertising a reward for the return of stolen property etc.

Provision was made in relation to section 102 of the act by sections 3 and 4 of the Larceny (Advertisements) Act 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 65) and by the Common Informers Act 1951 (14 & 15 Geo. 6. c. 39).[9][10]

This section is replaced for England and Wales by section 23 of the Theft Act 1968.[11]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 The citation of this act by this short title was authorised by section 1 of, and the first schedule to, the Short Titles Act 1896. This short title was previously authorised by section 1 of the Larceny (Advertisements) Act 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 65). Due to the repeal of those provisions it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.
  2. ↑ Section 122.
  3. ↑ Section 123.

References

  1. ↑ Greaves (1861). The Criminal Law Consolidation and Amendment Acts. pp. 3–4.
  2. ↑ Davis, James Edward (1861). The Criminal Law Consolidation Statutes of the 24 & 25 of Victoria, Chapters 94 to 100. Butterworths. pp. vi-vii https://books.google.com/books?id=HMw0AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA6 – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ "Public Authorities Protection Act 1893", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, Vict/56-57 c. 61
  4. ↑ "Criminal Law Act 1967". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 1967 c. 58.
  5. ↑ "Theft Act 1968". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 1968 c. 60.
  6. ↑ Parliament of Northern Ireland. Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 as amended (see also enacted form), from legislation.gov.uk.
  7. ↑ "Statute Law Revision Act 2007".
  8. ↑ Davis, James Edward (1861). The Criminal Law Consolidation Statutes of the 24 & 25 of Victoria: Chapters 94 to 100. Butterworths. p. 22.
  9. ↑ "Larceny (Advertisements) Act 1870", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, Vict/33-34 c. 65
  10. ↑ "Common Informers Act 1951", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, Geo6/14-15 c. 39
  11. ↑ Ormerod, David. Smith and Hogan's Criminal Law. Thirteenth Edition. Oxford University Press. 2011. p. 254. n. 49.