{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-order-act-1986/section-29L",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-order-act-1986/section-29L.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1986/64",
  "legislation_title": "Public Order Act 1986",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-order-act-1986",
  "path": "section/29L",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "29L",
  "heading": "Procedure and punishment",
  "text": "(1) No proceedings for an offence under this Part may be instituted ... except by or with the consent of the Attorney General.\n(2) For the purposes of the rules ... against charging more than one offence in the same count or information, each of sections 29B to 29G creates one offence.\n(3) A person guilty of an offence under this Part is liable—\n(a) on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or a fine or both;\n(b) on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both.\n(4) In subsection (3)(b) the reference to 12 months shall be read as a reference to 6 months in relation to an offence committed before 2 May 2022.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 3A inserted (E.W.) (1.10.2007 except so far as relating to the insertion of ss. 29B(3), 29H(2), 29I(2)(b)(4)) by Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 (c. 1), ss. 1, 3(2), Sch.; S.I. 2007/2490, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 29L(1)(2) repealed (8.5.2008) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 74, 149, 153(1)(j), Sch. 16 para. 16(2), Sch. 28 Pt. 5"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 29L(3)(b) substituted (8.5.2008) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 74, 153(1)(j), Sch. 16 para. 16(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 29L(4) inserted (8.5.2008) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 74, 153(1)(j), Sch. 16 para. 16(4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 29L(4) substituted (28.4.2022) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/500), regs. 1(2), 5(1), Sch. Pt. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/64/section/29L",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:53:53.024565+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}