FRAUDLENT MEDIUMS ACT 1951

Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 (14 and 15 Geo 6 c 33)

An Act to repeal the Witchcraft Act 1735 and to make, in substitution for  certain provisions of  section four of  the Vagrancy Act 1824 express  provision for the punishment of  persons who fraudulently purport to act as spiritualistic mediums or to exercise powers of  telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers  (22nd  June 1951).

(1)    Punishment of  fraudulent mediums, etc

(2)      (1) Subject to the provisions of  this section, any person who:

(a)    with intent to deceive purports to act as a spiritualistic medium or to  exercise   any powers of  telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers, or

(b)      (b) in purporting to act as a spiritualistic medium or to exercise such  powers as aforesaid, uses any fraudulent device, shall be guilty of  an offence.

(2) A person shall not be convicted of  an offence under the foregoing  subsection unless it is proved that he acted for reward;  and for the  purposes of  this section a person shall be deemed to act for reward if  any  money is paid, or other valuable thing given, in respect of  what he does,  whether to him or to any other person.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on  summary conviction to a fine not exceeding  (the prescribed sum)  or to  imprisonment for a term not exceeding four months or to both such fine and  such imprisonment, or on conviction on indictment to a fine... or to  imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and  such imprisonment.

(4) No proceedings for an offence under this section shall be, brought in England or Wales except by or with the consent of  the Director of  Public Prosecutions.

(5) Nothing in subsection

(1)    of  this section shall apply to anything done solely for the purpose of entertainment:

(2)    Repeals The following enactments are hereby repealed, that is to say:

(a)    the Witchcraft Act 1735, so far as still in force, and

(b)   section four of  the Vagrancy Act 1824 so far as it extends to persons  purporting to act as spiritualistic mediums or to exercise any powers of  telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers, or to persons who, in  purporting so to act or to exercise such powers, use fraudulent devices.