Part 6BBlackmail

Part 6B—Blackmail 171—Interpretation demand includes an implied demand; harm means— (a) physical or mental harm (including humiliation or serious embarrassment); or (b) harm to a person's property (including economic harm); menace—a person who makes a threat menaces the person to whom the threat is addressed (the victim) if— (a) the threat is a threat of harm to the victim or a third person (to be inflicted by the person making the threat or someone else); and (b) the threat is unwarranted; and (c) either— (i) the threat would be taken seriously by a reasonable person of normal stability and courage; or (ii) the victim in fact takes the threat seriously because of a particular vulnerability known to the person making the threat; serious offence means an offence punishable by imprisonment; threat includes an implied threat but, unless the threat is a threat of violence, does not include a threat made in the course of, or incidentally to— (a) collective bargaining; or (b) negotiations to secure a political or industrial advantage; unwarranted—a threat is unwarranted if— (a) the carrying out of the threat would (if it were carried out in the State) constitute a serious offence; or (b) the making of the threat is, in the circumstances in which it is made— (i) improper according to the standards of ordinary people; and (ii) known by the person making the threat to be improper according to the standards of ordinary people. (2) The question whether a defendant's conduct was improper according to the standards of ordinary people is a question of fact to be decided according to the jury's own knowledge and experience and not on the basis of evidence of those standards. 172—Blackmail (1) A person who menaces another intending to get the other to submit to a demand is guilty of blackmail. (a) for a basic offence—imprisonment for 15 years; (b) for an aggravated offence—imprisonment for 20 years. (2) The object of the demand is irrelevant. 1 The person who makes the demand may be demanding marriage or access to children. 2 The person who makes the demand may be seeking to influence the performance of a public duty. Part 6C—Piracy 173—Interpretation (1) A person commits an act of piracy if— (a) the person, acting without reasonable excuse, takes control of a ship, while it is in the course of a voyage, from the person lawfully in charge of it; or (b) the person, acting without reasonable excuse, commits an act of violence against the captain or a member of the crew of a ship, while it is in the course of a voyage, in order to take control of the ship from the person lawfully in charge of it; or (c) the person, acting without reasonable excuse, boards a ship, while it is in the course of a voyage, in order to— (i) take control of the ship from the person lawfully in charge of it; or (ii) endanger the ship; or (iii) steal or damage the ship's cargo; or (d) the person boards a ship, while it is in the course of a voyage, in order to commit robbery or any other act of violence against a passenger or a member of the crew. (2) A person takes control of a ship from another if the person compels the other to navigate the ship in accordance with the person's directions. 174—Piracy A person who commits an act of piracy is guilty of an offence.