Piracy Act 1837

Piracy Act 1837^[1]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to amend certain Acts relating to the Crime of Piracy.
Citation	7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. 88
Dates
Royal assent	17 July 1837
Commencement	1 October 1837
Other legislation
Amended by	Statute Law Revision Act 1874
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Piracy Act 1837 (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. 88) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It abolished the death penalty for most offences of piracy, but created a new offence often known as piracy with violence, which was punishable with death. This offence still exists in the United Kingdom and in Ireland, but is no longer punishable by death in either country.

Section 2 of the Act creates the offence of piracy with violence:

Whosoever, with intent to commit or at the time of or immediately before or immediately after committing the crime of piracy in respect of any ship or vessel, shall assault, with intent to murder, any person being on board of or belonging to such ship or vessel, or shall stab, cut, or wound any such person, or unlawfully do any act by which the life of such person may be endangered, shall be guilty of felony...