Types of Criminal Offences in the UK

Running head: CRIMINAL LAW
Criminal Law
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CRIMINAL LAW
Table of Contents
The three types Criminal Offences in the UK................................................................2
Difference between the types of Offences.....................................................................3
Reasons for categorising Criminal cases........................................................................4
Bibliography...................................................................................................................5

2CRIMINAL LAW
The three types Criminal Offences in the UK
Criminal Offences are categorised into three types of offences in the United Kingdom
as per the English Rule of Law. They are:
1. Summary offences
2. Indictable offences
3. Either-way offences
Summary Offences are less serious crimes which involves costs and damages below
the amount of £5000. These types of offences can only be tried in the Magistrates’ Courts1.
However, in certain cases a summary offence can be coupled with a either-way or indictable
offence which requires it to be dealt by the Crown Court as per the Criminal Justice Act
19982. These include crimes like common assault that involve minor injury or the least form
of assaults as laid down in the Section 4 and 5 of the Public Order Act. Summary Offences
mainly involve sentences not more than six months of imprisonment, along with certain
vehicle interference offences that involve imprisonment sentences less than 3 months3.
Examples of Summary offence include Minor assaults, property damage, offensive
behaviour and Road traffic offences. All of the above-mentioned offences are tried by the
Magistrates’ Court and involves a fine less than £5000 or/and an imprisonment less than 6
months.
Either-way Criminal Offences more serious offences in comparison to the Summary
offences. They can be tried either by the Magistrates’ Court or by the Crown Court. The
selection of the Court depends on the seriousness of the crime. These can be tried either as a
Summary offence or as an Indictable offence, depending in the gravity and impact of the
1 'Summary Offences And The Crown Court | The Crown Prosecution Service' (Cps.gov.uk, 2019)
<https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/summary-offences-and-crown-court> accessed 23 March 2019.
2 Criminal Justice Act 1998, S. 40
3 'Summary Offences And The Crown Court | The Crown Prosecution Service' (Cps.gov.uk, 2019)
<https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/summary-offences-and-crown-court> accessed 23 March 2019.