Great Britain: Recourse available to persons promoting Christian churches in Lambeth who are threatened by members of other faiths, including telephone harassment
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GBR30867.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Great Britain: Recourse available to persons promoting Christian churches in Lambeth who are threatened by members of other faiths, including telephone harassment, 1 December 1998, GBR30867.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aca48c.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (CJPOA) amended the Public Order Act 1986 to include the offence of causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress. The new section makes it an offence when a person, with the intent of causing harassment, alarm or distress "uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour" or "displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting." The maximum penalties for the offence are "imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or both."
The CJPOA also amends the Telecommunications Act 1984, increasing the penalty for persons convicted of making obscene, offensive or annoying telephone calls from a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale to "imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or both."
Specific information concerning the recourse available to persons promoting Christian churches in Lambeth could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. In the Lambeth area several bodies with a mandate to deal with racial, ethnic and religious tensions within the community exist including the Lambeth Community Police Consultative Group, the Community Safety Units and Victim Support Schemes (16 Dec. 1998). The Victim Support Schemes are described on the Website of the Metropolitan Police (London):
Considerate treatment of victims of all crime is crucial, and the way we deal with victims has benefited greatly from our collaboration with Victim Support Schemes at both the local and corporate level. There are forty-two locally based Victim Support Schemes in the London area, and a police representative from the local division is a member of each management committee. We also take an active role in Victim Support London, which provides pan-London co-ordination. (n.d.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see below the list of additional sources consulted in preparing this Response.
References
Clapham C.I.D. 16 December 1998. Telephone interview with member of Community Safety Unit.
Metroplitan Police. n.d. "Victim Support Schemes." [Internet] <http://www.met.police.uk> [Accessed 17 Dec. 1998]
Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1993, c. 33.
Additional Sources Consulted
Unsuccessful attempts to contact an oral source.
