Public order offences are prosecuted under the Public Order Act 1986, ranging from disorderly conduct to affray and violent disorder. The Crime and Policing Bill 2025 has re-introduced measures for new protest-related offences, such as banning face coverings and climbing war memorials, and introduces 'respect orders' to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour. Harassment charges target a 'course of conduct' that causes alarm or distress, often intersecting with new stalking management measures aimed at halving violence against women and girls.

Defending public order charges often involves the forensic analysis of CCTV and body-worn camera footage to provide an accurate account of the incident. For harassment cases, the defence role is to scrutinise the 'course of conduct' to determine if it meets the statutory threshold or if the actions were reasonable in the circumstances. The Sentencing Bill 2025 requires courts to state when an offence involved domestic abuse, establishing a consistent way to record such factors in criminal cases. Representation also addresses the potential for community-based suspended sentences for terms of 12 months or less, subject to personal mitigation and risk assessments.