drunk in charge of a minor

[trueblue61]

what law in the u.k. covers this.it is a criminal offence to be at home and drunk in charge of a minor.what act and section covers this law

[tigwig]

no law I hope unless me and I imagine millions of others have been breaking it for years! I would like to add that my daughter is always sound asleep in bed when I reach for the bottle of wine!

[Ice.Maiden]

Awww...Tigwig..I hope you're not serious? There's a vast difference between feeling merry, and being drunk - and also it depends on the age of the child/children that a person's supposed to be looking after. It's all very well if there's someone else in the house to care for a baby, for instance, but I remember a very tipsy friend wanting to take a peek at my son when he was 6 week's old. She took him out of his crib and walked along the landing. Then she had a drunken wobble & almost went headlong downstairs with him! It's certainly not funny to be drunk & in charge of children.

[daffy654]

I would imagine it would be under the general heading of child neglect but I can't give you a specific law or case. If you have concerns about someone you know who is regularly drunk whilst in charge of a child then you could phone the NSPCC or your local Social Services office and ask for advice.

[trueblue61]

thanks all so far,but i do know its covered by criminal law,,im an ex bobby and do remember somewhere in whats left of the old grey matter and section where my memory lives that it is a criminal offence.i know we all have a drink and that isnt a problem, its when your paraletic thats the concern..anyone else out there who can help nail this down or a site where i can research.ta..

[Ethel]

There certainly is a law that makes it a criminal offence to be drunk in charge of a child under 7 years of age.

This woman was successfully prosecuted:

http://www.aldershot.co.uk/news/2002/2002181/f ined_for_being_drunk_in_charge_of_3yearold

S.2 Licensing Act 1902

[kempie]

The penalty for being drunk in a public place or on licensed premises while in charge of child under the age of seven years is a maximum fine of �500 or imprisonment of up to one month.

That section of the Licensing Act 1902 (as amended) does not cover inebriation within the home.

[tigwig]

yes I was only joking. I am not drunk as in so drunk I don't know what I am doing just nicely merry/tipsy. Even when I have had the most of a bottle of wine I would never be unable to look after my daughter.

[Yorkie580]

The offence of being drunk in charge of a child under 7 applies to a public place. I would suggest that an offence of child neglect could be commited at home if you were too drunk to ensure the wellbeing of the child (regardless of age).

[Myriad2112]

Does that mean after 2 glasses of wine I'll be over the limit?

[julieteach]

There most definitely is a law. The age of the child is important and rather bizarely different in England than it is in Scotland. I'm almost certain that in England it's children up to 7 and in Scotland it's children up to 9. Basically it is an offence and you can be prosecuted if you are drunk in charge of children up to these ages. Parents at the British holiday camp that I went to this Summer should be made aware of this law! I think the premise of the law is this: if you are drunk in charge and the house goes up in flames in the middle of the night, how are young children supposed to be safe without help from parents, because the parents are drunk in bed?!