What is the Crime and Policing Act 2026?
The Crime and Policing Act 2026 has been introduced as part of the government’s Safer Streets mission, which aims to restore confidence in the police and the criminal justice system. An integral goal of this Safer Streets mission is to halve knife crime and to halve violence against women and girls within a decade (initially implemented in November 2024).
As part of this mission, the Crime and Policing Act has introduced several new criminal offences, which are anticipated to come into effect on 29th June 2026. This article will give an overview of the key offences that will be introduced and the penalties individuals may face if convicted.
Image-Based Sexual Offences
Four new offences have been introduced relating to indecent images and pornography laws. These offences aim to tackle the changing landscape of indecent image production due to the rise of AI and social media.
| Offence | Details | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film (to be included in Sexual Offences Act 2003, s.66AB) | It is a criminal offence to take a photo or a video of another person in an intimate state without their consent. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is 6 months’ imprisonment, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is 2 years’ imprisonment. |
| Creating a copy of an intimate photo or video shared temporarily (“screenshotting”) (to be included in Sexual Offences Act 2003, s.66AE) | If you temporarily receive a photo or video of another person in an intimate state (for example, a photo sent with a time limit on an app such as Snapchat), it is a criminal offence to screenshot or make a copy of this photo/video without their consent. | This is a summary-only offence, therefore the maximum penalty for a person convicted is 6 months’ imprisonment. |
| Making or supplying purported intimate image generators (i.e. “nudification” tools) (to be included in Sexual Offences Act 2003, s.66I) | It is a criminal offence to create something or to contribute to the creation of something, like a software, to be used to create AI-generated intimate images of a person, such as deepfakes. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 3 years, a fine or both. |
| Possession or publication of pornographic images of strangulation or suffocation (to be included in Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, s.67A) | It is a criminal offence to possess or the create/publish pornography which depicts strangulation or suffocation. | On a summary conviction for possession and/or publishing, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment for possession, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 2 years, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment for publishing, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 5 years, a fine or both. |
Spiking and Drug Exploitation Offences
Two new offences have been introduced to tackle the administration of harmful substances and the use of others (particularly children or vulnerable adults) to conceal or transport drugs.
| Offence | Details | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Administering a harmful substance, including spiking (to be included in Offences against the Person Act 1861, s.24) | It is a criminal offence to unlawfully administer a harmful substance or cause a harmful substance to be administered to another person with the intention to injure, aggrieve or annoy the other person. A harmful substance can be any poisonous, destructive or noxious thing. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 10 years, a fine or both. |
| Causing internal concealment of drugs or other specified items (Crime and Policing Act 2026, s.68) | This offence covers two situations: If the victim is a child (under 18), it’s an offence to cause them to conceal a specified item within their body (e.g. by swallowing) when this item has been/may be used for criminal activity. If the victim is an adult (over 18), it’s an offence to force, trick, or manipulate them into concealing an item inside their body in the same way. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 10 years, a fine or both. |
Offences Related to Children or Vulnerable Adults
In the year ending March 2025, the Home Office estimated that approximately 15,500 children were identified as at risk or involved in child criminal exploitation. The following three offences have been introduced to protect children and vulnerable adults from being exploited by criminals.
| Offence | Details | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Child criminal exploitation (Crime and Policing Act 2026, s.48) | It is an offence for an adult over the age of 18 to engage in behaviour/activities with a child (under 18) with the intention of causing the child to commit an offence or facilitate them to commit an offence in the future. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 10 years, a fine or both. |
| Controlling another’s home for criminal purposes (cuckooing) (Crime and Policing Act 2026, s.65) | It is a criminal offence to forcibly take over the home/dwelling of another person (typically a vulnerable adult) with the intention of using this dwelling in connection with criminal activity. This action is referred to as cuckooing. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 5 years, a fine or both. |
| Preventing or deterring a person from complying with duty to report suspected child sex offence (Crime and Policing Act 2026, s.92) | If you know that a person is under duty to report suspected child sex offences (such as a teacher), it is a criminal offence to engage in behaviour that would prevent or deter them from doing so. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 7 years, a fine or both. |
Assault and Weapon Offences
The following two offences have been introduced as part of the government’s mission to reduce violence and knife crime across the UK. As part of this, a new standalone assault offence has been created to recognise the abuse faced by retail workers and protect them from further violence.
| Offence | Details | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Assault of a retail worker (Crime and Policing Act 2026, s.45) | A person who assaults a retail worker at work is committing an offence. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. |
| Possession of a weapon with intent to use unlawful violence (to be included in Criminal Justice Act 1988, s.139AB) | It is a criminal offence to be in possession of an offensive weapon (e.g. a knife) with the intention to cause unlawful violence or cause unlawful damage to a property. | On a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine or both. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 7 years, a fine or both. |
What should I do if I’ve been charged?
If you or someone you know has been charged with an offence under the Crime and Policing Act, it’s important to get specialist advice as early as possible. Our team at Lawtons is experienced in all areas of criminal defence and are committed to securing the best possible outcome for each client under our care. If you are in need of legal guidance, contact our specialist team on 0333 577 0522 or visit our enquiries page.
