String the buggers up!

What would you make a hanging offense?

News this week that three MPs are trying to force a debate to reintroduce the death penalty.

This is supported by a change in the law which requires a debate in Parliamant should a petition be put forward containing 100,000 signatures. This is at least a step towards true democracy - and as bloggers I think we can give ourselves a richly deserved pat on the back for playing a big part in gettng the requisite number of signatures.

The proposal is to re-introduce the death penalty for the murder of a police officer or child, but I thought I'd take a look back at some of the 222 capital offenses that were around in early Victorian England...

* murder
* treason
* stealing from a shipwreck
* damaging Westminster Bridge
* stealing goods valued at five shillings (25p) or more
* highway robbery
* stealing letters
* poaching
* blacking yourself up at night
* impersonating a Chelsea Pensioner
* cutting down young trees
* begging without a licence if you are a soldier or sailor
* being in the company of gypsies for a month
* "strong evidence of malice" in children 7-14 years old
* stealing horses or sheep
* writing a threatening letter
* arson
* destroying turnpike roads
* unmarried mother concealing a stillborn child
* stealing from a rabbit warren
* robbery in dwelling house
* housebreaking
* high Treason Coining
* stealing in a shop
* returning from transportation
* sacrilege
* pickpocketing goods worth more than one shilling
* forgery

I can think of a few modern ones we could add such as :

* lying in Parliament
* claiming fraudulent expenses
* hacking phones
* writing and distributing computer viruses
* entering the country illegally
* profiteering
* claiming excessive bonuses
* driving a BMW or an Audi
* abetting dog fouling
* claiming someone else was driving when a motoring offense was committed

...and I'm sure you have a few ideas of your own you could add to the list!

And in the light of the last few days, perhaps we should add rioting, looting, arson and inciting civil disturbance to that list?