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In force since 2009-10-31, as the publisher states.
Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.
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6 provisions
Title and introductory text
Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965
1965 c.71
An Act to abolish capital punishment in the case of persons convicted in Great Britain of murder or convicted of murder or a corresponding offence by court-martial and, in connection therewith, to make further provision for the punishment of persons so convicted.
[8th November 1965]
Propose a change1 Abolition of death penalty for murder.
(1) No person shall suffer death for murder, and a person convicted of murder shall . . . be sentenced to imprisonment for life.
(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3) For the purpose of any proceedings on or subsequent to a person’s trial on a charge of capital murder, that charge and any plea or finding of guilty of capital murder shall be treated as being or having been a charge, or a plea or finding of guilty, of murder only; and if at the commencement of this Act a person is under sentence of death for murder, the sentence shall have effect as a sentence of imprisonment for life.
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change3 Short title, repeal, extent and commencement.
(1) This Act may be cited as the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965.
(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3) This Act ... shall not extend to Northern Ireland.
(4) This Act shall come into force on the day following that on which it is passed.
Propose a change4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a changeSCHEDULE
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Propose a change