Legislation – Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
Changes to legislation:
Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, Section 79 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 22 December 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 79:
- Sch. 7 para. 5A and cross-heading inserted by 2008 c. 25 Sch. 1 para. 90(3)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- Sch. 7 para. 5A and cross-heading inserted by 2008 c. 25 Sch. 1 para. 90(3)
Part 5Criminal law
Blasphemy
79Abolition of common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel
(1)
The offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel under the common law of England and Wales are abolished.
(2)
In section 1 of the Criminal Libel Act 1819 (60 Geo. 3 & 1 Geo. 4 c. 8) (orders for seizure of copies of blasphemous or seditious libel) the words “any blasphemous libel, or” are omitted.
(3)
In sections 3 and 4 of the Law of Libel Amendment Act 1888 (c. 64) (privileged matters) the words “blasphemous or” are omitted.
(4)
Subsections (2) and (3) (and the related repeals in Schedule 28) extend to England and Wales only.