Soliciting to murder is a statutory offense of incitement in England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, created by section 4 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. In common usage it is sometimes described as hiring a hitman, though no financial transaction or actual killing is required; merely soliciting, encouraging, or persuading another person to commit murder is enough to complete the offense, historically punishable upon conviction by imprisonment for life.
Facts
Classification CodeStatutory offence created by section 4 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. 1 Typical PenaltyImprisonment for life (or any shorter term) in England and Wales; the maximum was ten years from 1948 until 8 September 1977. 2 Elements of OffenseSoliciting, encouraging, persuading, or endeavouring to persuade, or proposing to any person, to murder any other person; no financial transaction is required, and merely the intent to engage another in an act of murder qualifies as soliciting. 2 Notable ExampleR v Most (1881): the defendant published a newspaper article saying the recent assassination of the Russian Tsar was wonderful news and was to be held up as an example to revolutionaries everywhere, and he was convicted. 1 Jurisdiction VariationCreated by section 4 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; the Northern Ireland penalty was increased by article 5(1) of the Criminal Law (Northern Ireland) Order 1977. 1 Classification
Offense GradeSerious or Indictable Offense 1 Connections
Has Offense Grade
Entity-backed identity for the offense-grade enum value this offense already carries, resolved to a crime concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The offense-grade fact itself stays on the offense unchanged.
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Europe, found in there.
Sources
1. Soliciting to murder (Wikipedia)
Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soliciting_to_murder, lead paragraph
Soliciting to murder is a statutory offence of incitement in England and Wales and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Republic of Ireland section
This offence is created by section 4 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.
Northern Ireland section, first sentence
This offence is created by section 4 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.
England and Wales section, Case law subsection, note on R v Most (1881)
In this case, the defendant published an article in a newspaper the gist of which was that the recent assassination of the Russian Tsar was wonderful news and was to be held up as an example to revolutionaries everywhere. He was convicted.
Lead section, second paragraph
Merely the intent to engage another in an act of murder qualifies as soliciting.
View the Source 2. Offences against the Person Act 1861 section 4 (legislation.gov.uk)
Section 4, opening words
Whosoever shall solicit, encourage, persuade, or endeavour to persuade, or shall propose to any person, to murder any other person
Section 4, penalty words
and being convicted thereof shall be liable to imprisonment for life.
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