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:
United Kingdom The offences of piracy which existed in 1837 have since been abolished. The "crime of piracy" mentioned in section 2 is now defined by the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997 (in section 26 and Schedule 5), which simply sets out articles 101 to 103 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982):
Since this definition is restricted to the high seas, piracy in British territorial waters would today be treated as robbery, assault or attempted murder under the Territorial Waters Jurisdiction Act 1878, or as hijacking under the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 (which can also be applied to piracy on the high seas).
In 1998 the mandatory death penalty was abolished by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and the sentence is now up to life imprisonment.
Ireland Ireland abolished the death penalty for piracy in 1964.The Criminal Justice Act 1964, sections 1(1) and 6 Irish Statute Book The act remains in force.
Subsequent developments In section 2 the words " as a felon ", and section 4, of the act were repealed for England and Wales by section 10(2) of, and part III of schedule 3 to, the Criminal Law Act 1967, which came into force on 1 January 1968.
See also Capital punishment in the United Kingdom Capital punishment in Ireland Piracy Act 1698 (repealed) Piracy Act 1717 (repealed) Piracy Act 1721 (repealed) Judgement of Death Act 1823
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