Warning over one fancy dress costume that is against the law this Halloween

31.10.2022 - 21:47 / dailyrecord.co.uk

As people all over the world celebrate Halloween, one legal expert has warned against wearing one particular fancy dress costume. UK laws state that anybody who publicly dresses up like a police officer or any member of the law enforcement could be hit with a hefty fine, and even face jail time in certain cases.

This is outlined in the Police Act 1996, which explains that anybody who dresses as police "with intent to deceive" may up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine, Hull Live reports. Even if you don't intend to deceive people with your costume, those dressed up could still be fined up to £1,000 - and even just carrying an item of police clothing could mean you're fined up to £200.

This is echoed in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, which states it's an offense for a person to impersonate a constable or to possess any item of police clothing without permission from the Authority. With this in mind, Halloween brings with it a whole range of strange and little-known laws that are still observed today.

Aruna Verma, Associate Professor Programme & Student Lead GDL, MA Law & Conversion Programmes at The University of Law (ULaw), delves into some of the spookiest laws to watch out for this Halloween:

In 2013, Swaziland introduced a law that made it illegal for witches to fly their brooms above 150m. With a firm belief in witchcraft across the country, those found to be flying their broomsticks higher than 150m will be subject to arrest and fined R500 000.

There are no limitations in place just yet for flying below 150m, so watch the skies on Halloween night.

When selling a house, it’s recommended that you tell the buyers if you believe there to be any house guests present from beyond the grave. The