Disorderly house

In English criminal law a disorderly house is a house in which the conduct of its inhabitants is such as to become a public nuisance, or outrages public decency, or tends to corrupt or deprave, or injures the public interest; or a house where persons congregate to the probable disturbance of the public peace or other commission of crime. To persistently or habitually keep a disorderly house is an offence against the common law, punishable by fine or imprisonment.^[1]

Brothels may be dealt with under statutory offences under sections 33 to 36 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956.^{[citation needed]}

History

There were formerly statutory provisions relating to disorderly houses under:

• the Disorderly Houses Act 1751.^[2]
• sections 1 and 2 of the Sunday Observance Act 1780.^[3]

Both acts have been repealed.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Opium den
• Crack house

References

1. ^ Chisholm 1911, p. 313.
2. ^ Disorderly Houses Act 1751
3. ^ Sunday Observance Act 1780

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Disorderly House". Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 313. 

Further reading

• Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice (2008) 20-246 to 20-251