As people all over the world celebrate Halloween, one legal expert has warned against wearing one particular fancy dress costume. UK laws state that anybody who publicly dresses up like a police officer or any member of the law enforcement could be hit with a hefty fine, and even face jail time in certain cases.
This is outlined in the Police Act 1996, which explains that anybody who dresses as police "with intent to deceive" may up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine, Hull Live reports. Even if you don't intend to deceive people with your costume, those dressed up could still be fined up to £1,000 - and even just carrying an item of police clothing could mean you're fined up to £200.
This is echoed in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, which states it's an offense for a person to impersonate a constable or to possess any item of police clothing without permission from the Authority. With this in mind, Halloween brings with it a whole range of strange and little-known laws that are still observed today.
Aruna Verma, Associate Professor Programme & Student Lead GDL, MA Law & Conversion Programmes at The University of Law (ULaw), delves into some of the spookiest laws to watch out for this Halloween:
Flight restrictions for witches
In 2013, Swaziland introduced a law that made it illegal for witches to fly their brooms above 150m. With a firm belief in witchcraft across the country, those found to be flying their broomsticks higher than 150m will be subject to arrest and fined R500 000.
There are no limitations in place just yet for flying below 150m, so watch the skies on Halloween night.
Paranormal real estate
When selling a house, it’s recommended that you tell the buyers if you believe there to be any house guests present from beyond the grave. The most notable case of this is Stambovsky v. Ackley, 169 A.D.2d 254 in New York, commonly known as the “Ghostbusters ruling”.
In this case, the seller had advertised a property as being haunted, which the buyer did not know. Upon finding out about the paranormal houseguests, the buyer filed an action to cancel the contract of sale and for damages for fraudulent misrepresentation of sale.
The action wasn’t upheld in court, which many believe to be because the buyer didn’t show up. But it was noted that the alleged hauntings could have greatly affected the price of the property, which would have been grounds for legal action.
Don't call anyone a witch
The Witchcraft Act of 1735 made it illegal for any human being to claim a person had magical powers or was a practising witch. This effectively put an end to the hunting and execution of witches in the UK.
The act was later repealed by the Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951, which banned any person from claiming to be a psychic, medium or other spiritualist with intent to deceive and gain money. This was in turn repealed again in 2008 under consumer rights laws, and it all dates back to 16th Century witches.
Aruna continued: "Laws are put in place to govern and protect the living, but it’s important to note these laws don’t always extend beyond the grave. The most important thing to remember this Halloween is to have fun, avoid causing public disruption or nuisance, and stay safe. We’d also recommend if you do have mystical powers or plan on raising the dead that you keep it to yourself."
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