Illegal Or Unlawful

[nailit]

what's the difference between illegal and unlawful?
Was talking to a friend about tv license's and he said that not having one was unlawful but not illegal.
What's the difference?
thanks

[Zacs-Master]

What justification do you have for not paying it?

[Old_Geezer]

Illegal is what interests the police. Unlawful they tell you to bring your own legal action for.

[Zacs-Master]

I think you might do well to read the previous posts OG.

[Retrochic]

nailit -I did the same with the Census guys I told them where to get off I'm not filling in forms asking me how many bedrooms I have and who occupies them! got threatened with Court but it all fizzled out. 'Power to the People' and all that.

[Peter Pedant]

well the one I was taught was

unlawful - against the law

illegal - outside the legal system. Very few things are outside a legal system. Well what about crimes ? no the whole of criminal law is all about that - so a criminal act is not illegal it is unlawful

I dunno the point he was making about the tv licence.
Perhaps he just wanted to pass time of day

About the only illegal act I can think of, was the hullaballoo over Ted heath ceding authority to the European Union - and that was alleged to be outside the the english legal system... ie illegal
BUT .....
their lordhips ever mindful of their pensions, thought it was all OK

[Peter Pedant]

lawyers use unlawful for just aboiut everything

[nailit]

zacs, prove it all you want. Im accessing live tv without a license. AND?...
If it was illegal why arnt I in court? The TV licensing people have contacted me often enough with threats etc and yet ive invited them to get the law (police etc.) involved and they never have. If I was acting illegally then surely I would have been arrested by now?...

[Zacs-Master]

But what goes thru your mind when you think that it's ok not to pay?

[heathfield]

It is not illegal to own[i an apparatus capable of receiving a television broadcast signal, if you have no license for it. But it is illegal to [i]operate] that apparatus, if you have no license.

[nailit]

zacs //What justification do you have for not paying it//
None, what justification do you have FOR paying it.
Retrochic, good for you, I take my hat off. Wish I'd have binned my cencus as well.

[THECORBYLOON]

NAILIT if it were not an offence to watch live broadcasts without a licence, why are folk fined and then put in gaol if they fail to pay it?

[nailit]

Didnt want this thread to turn in to a "tv license' debate but hey ho!
IF you want to carry on paying an unneccesary tax then carry on.
If you DONT want to pay it then STOP paying it.....its not illegal, yet.
TV licensing know that I dont have a tv license, They (allegely) know that I watch live tv, They have no authority over it....Ive invited them into my home, only if they are accomponied by a police officer. And a police officer will onley be present if an offence is been committed.

[woofgang]

my word nailit, you are just angry at the world and spoiling for a fight aren't you? I know that your background was a painful one but it seems to me that the only person harmed by your continual anger is yourself.

[nailit]

Eh? woofgang,
Started out as a simple question. not spoiling for a fight at all.

[nailit]

CORBYLOON, sorry, overlooked your post. Reason people fined and jailed is that they admited guilt. Dont let these people in your home and theres nothing they can do.

[anneasquith]

well happy viewing nailit,,,,,,,,I hope you don't end up in court .

[nailit]

lol Anne, hardly watch tv anyway.

[Obiter]

I know we're getting slightly off-subject, but can anyone remember the TV ads from years ago warning us against not being licensed. It featured a detector van with a huge aerial which was supposed to be able to detect who was watching TV and which programme they were watching. Apparently such devices do not exist and it was all a big propaganda con to frighten the public, or so I've been told. Happy to stand corrected if I'm wrong.

[boxtops]

why don't you just get rid of the TV then, nailit - problem solved....

[SirOracle]

Nailit . What if everybody refused to pay their T V licence fee then there would be no BBC programmes.

You are prepared to sponge off the vast majority of the population,a position which I find reprehensible.