Member

That said, I am not seeking to amend Section 4A to remove the word “insulting” in the way that this House voted to do in respect of Section 5 back in 2013. I have no difficulty with criminalising insulting words or behaviour where there is an intent to cause harassment and distress, but I do have a problem with criminalising words that are neither threatening nor abusive, but are taken to be insulting where there may be merely an intention to alarm someone, for example, to shake them out of perceived folly or complacency. As I have said, this House voted for the removal of the word “insulting” from Section 5 of the Public Order Act back in 2012. That change was rightly implemented in the Crime and Courts Act 2013.