Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951
Encyclopedia
The Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 was a law in England and Wales
which prohibited a person from claiming to be a psychic
, medium
, or other spiritualist while attempting to deceive and to make money from the deception (other than solely for the purpose of entertainment). It was repealed on 26 May 2008. There were five prosecutions under this Act between 1980 and 1995, all resulting in conviction. The Act was replaced by new Consumer Protection Regulations following an EU directive targeting unfair sales and marketing practices.
It also repealed the Witchcraft Act 1735. It is sometimes said, erroneously, that until 1951 British law recognised witchcraft as real. In fact, the 1735 Act was the first to recognise that magic is impossible, explicitly stating that it was an act against fraud.
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
which prohibited a person from claiming to be a psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
, medium
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
, or other spiritualist while attempting to deceive and to make money from the deception (other than solely for the purpose of entertainment). It was repealed on 26 May 2008. There were five prosecutions under this Act between 1980 and 1995, all resulting in conviction. The Act was replaced by new Consumer Protection Regulations following an EU directive targeting unfair sales and marketing practices.
It also repealed the Witchcraft Act 1735. It is sometimes said, erroneously, that until 1951 British law recognised witchcraft as real. In fact, the 1735 Act was the first to recognise that magic is impossible, explicitly stating that it was an act against fraud.