Fraudulent Mediums
Act, 1951

Chapter 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.

[22 June 1951.]

B

e it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

(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) in purporting to act as a spiritualistic medium or to exercise such powers as aforesaid, uses any fraudulent device,

(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 tern 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The following enactments are hereby repealed, that is to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

3.-(1) This Act may be cited as the Fraudulent Mediums Act, 1951.

Number of prosecutions at magistrates' courts and convictions at all courts for offences under section (1) of the Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951, 1980-1995
England and Wales

Prosecutions

Convictions

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1

1

1985

1

--

1986

1

1

1987

1988

1989

1990

1

1

1991

1

1

1992

1

1

1993

1994

1995

The above information on convictions was taken from:
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199697/ldhansrd/vo970113/text/70113w04.htm