Did you know you could go to jail for being drunk around your kids?

Did you know you could go to jail for being drunk around your kids?

There has been a law on the books for more than 100 years that could see parents getting jailed if they get drunk in public when their children are around.

Under the licensing act of 1902, it is illegal to be drunk in charge of a child in a public place. You could be punished by a fine or up to a month in prison.

It is forbidden by law to be drunk while in charge of a child under the age of seven.

A solicitor said there wasn’t an objective to see how drunk a parent is. But the key issue is around safeguarding.

A couple of glasses of wine at lunch you probably would not be considered to be drunk in charge of a child.  But if you were in charge of a young child and you were obviously impaired that would be the real test.

Parents of young children have to be fully alert, in order to protect them from physical harm.

The NSPCC said Nobody is saying don’t enjoy yourself, just use common sense when looking after your children.

Contact Gi Grimsby
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