Malicious Communications Act 1988

• Jurisdiction: UK Non-devolved
• Citation: 1988 c. 27

a message which is indecent or grossly offensive;a threat; orinformation which is false and known or believed to be false by the sender; orany ^F2article or electronic communication which is, in whole or part, of an indecent or grossly offensive nature,that the threat was used to reinforce a demand ^F3made by him on reasonable grounds; andthat he believed ^F4, and had reasonable grounds for believing, that the use of the threat was a proper means of reinforcing the demand.any oral or other communication by means of ^F8an electronic communications network (c. 12) ) ; andany communication (however sent) that is in electronic form.(3) In this section references to sending include references to delivering ^F6or transmitting and to causing to be sent ^F7, delivered or transmitted and “sender” shall be construed accordingly.on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine (or both) ;on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine (or both) .(5) In relation to an offence committed before section 154(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 comes into force, the reference in subsection (4) (b) to 12 months is to be read as a reference to six months.(6) In relation to an offence committed before section 85 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 comes into force, the reference in subsection (4) (b) to a fine is to be read as a reference to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.