The legality regarding...

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alex_m90

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Basically, I would really appreciate it if somebody could give me an idea on the legal issues surrounding the following plan.

I've recently taken on a real interest in urban exploration and near to where I live, there are numerous Victorian abandoned mental assylums. My plan would be to visit this location with a few friends with our DSLRs and to gain entry to the location (might involve breaking in! :eek:) but it is fully unused and abandoned. We would then take photos inside, and leave without damaging the location, leaving anything there, or removing anything from there. It would be purely for photographic purposes.

What I really want to know is how illegal is this? Can they confiscate our cameras or demand that we delete the photos? Can we get fined and a criminal record for this, or even worse sent inside!

Just want to know really before possibly giving it a go!

Thanks in advance,
Alex
 
alex_m90 said:
Basically, I would really appreciate it if somebody could give me an idea on the legal issues surrounding the following plan.

I've recently taken on a real interest in urban exploration and near to where I live, there are numerous Victorian abandoned mental assylums. My plan would be to visit this location with a few friends with our DSLRs and to gain entry to the location (might involve breaking in! :eek:) but it is fully unused and abandoned. We would then take photos inside, and leave without damaging the location, leaving anything there, or removing anything from there. It would be purely for photographic purposes.

What I really want to know is how illegal is this? Can they confiscate our cameras or demand that we delete the photos? Can we get fined and a criminal record for this, or even worse sent inside!

Just want to know really before possibly giving it a go!

Thanks in advance,
Alex
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Think you answered you own question !
 
As above if you have to break anything then you can be charged with breaking and entering, I dont think they can take your equipment though.

If you can gain entry without damaging anything then you should be OK as under English law you can be charged with trespass unless you cause damage.

I would still be very careful though.
 
I suspect that if you gain access without breaking in, you would be committing trespass - a civil matter and the most anyone could do is ask you to leave. Breaking in to gain access is, well, breaking and entering - a criminal matter which would leave you liable to arrest and, ultimately, a criminal record. However if someone else has previously broken in and left means of access then you're back to trespass. If you can convince the police/courts or whatever.

No-one but a court could legally confiscate your camera or order the deleting of your shots, but of course you don't want to end up there in the first place.
 
Thanks for the replys so far. Hundreds of visitors have gained access there, and there are many websites dedicated to such locations. Gaining access is actually as simple as just climbing through a smashed window. Guess that would be tresspassing instead then.

From what I have been reading there was no security for ages, until there was an arsen attack, and now they have dogs walking around with guards...

Thanks again for the response! :D
 
Well if you get caught it would be

Trespassing (Be careful with this as police can be really harsh, they cautioned me and my mate for walking thru a school playground which isn't blocked by gates and have no "No trespassing" signs and they said if we are seen there again they will arrest us!!)
Breaking and entering
Criminal damage
 
visualisetheworld said:
how were the planning on getting in?
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They have certain times where they do the rounds, and they only search certain areas. Some websites have this posted for certain locations, others I guess you have to wait until they move and then make your move.

inaneredstripe said:
yup. breaking and entering. possibly trespass. i dont think they would confiscate your equipment ***.
you,ll probably find it full of tramps and smackheads anyway.
be carefull.
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The good thing about these locations is that they are quite out of the way (and from the photos I have seen very creepy!) and they have security with dogs checking out the location. I think the only real risk to me would be through structural damage (floors collapsing etc), and I would have to take precautionary measures to ensure safety against that.
boroboyben said:
Well if you get caught it would be

Trespassing (Be careful with this as police can be really harsh, they cautioned me and my mate for walking thru a school playground which isn't blocked by gates and have no "No trespassing" signs and they said if we are seen there again they will arrest us!!)
Breaking and entering
Criminal damage
Click to expand...

Well to date, I'v got a clean record, but what I am worried about is that being quite young (17 turning 18) is that they will presume I am there for purposes other than just taking photos and reviving memories. The areas used to be affected my arsenists, and I would not want to be confused as one!

I might go and have a close look at the locations and their security systems so I can make an informed decision on whether or not to give it a go. I would definitely not damage anything significant to gain entry, and I am certain it would be easy enough to gain entry without having to even go to those measures.
 
i, personally, would find out who the owner is, and getting their permission. If it's abandoned, but safe inside, i don't see why they wouldn't let you in, with someone supervising.

But if you think it's safe enough, then go for it. But i am not condoning a criminal activity (Which is technically what this would be)
 
Ant said:
i, personally, would find out who the owner is, and getting their permission. If it's abandoned, but safe inside, i don't see why they wouldn't let you in, with someone supervising.

But if you think it's safe enough, then go for it. But i am not condoning a criminal activity (Which is technically what this would be)
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I tried to find out who the owners were, but there is confusion as to who the owners are - part of the reason why they have not yet been demolished and built into flats yet!
 
So, you climb through a smashed window and castrate yourself in the process. Worth it?

Think about the poor sod whose got responsibility for the site.
 
If the land isn't yours and you dont have permission, then its trespassing.
 
If it's abandoned and in poor repair I doubt you'd get permission from the owner, far too many health and safety issues for them to worry about.

If you decide to go and get caught co-operate fully and don't try to defend your position, you're in the wrong so accept it and comply and you'll probably just get a telling off. If you're asked to delete images do so (and recover them later) but change cards often just in case.
 
or befriend the security guard and the dog, and a gift of some "specilist magazines" to help the night go by always helps :D
 
You want to check out 28dayslater.co.uk if it's still going.. that's definitely a forum you'll find very interesting.. it's all about urban exploration.
 
alex_m90 said:
Well to date, I'v got a clean record, but what I am worried about is that being quite young (17 turning 18) is that they will presume I am there for purposes other than just taking photos and reviving memories. The areas used to be affected my arsenists, and I would not want to be confused as one!
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Make sure none of those with you have matches or lighters on them, if they smoke they will probably have, so make sure they don't bring them along. If you can't light a fire, you can't be an arsonist.
As long as you break nothing at all it's just trespass, and if your sufficiently sorry and regretful and nice, the security guard will probably just let you go with a telling off (so no cheeky answers, no swearing, no "I'm only trespassing" remarks from any of you), but break anything at all and you're in right trouble. As soon as you break anything your a burglar, and that's a 10 year maximum sentence.
 
Sorry if someone already suggested this (I haven't read all the replies) but....
Why not find out who it belongs to and ask permission to enter and photograph it?
 
alex_m90 said:
Basically, I would really appreciate it if somebody could give me an idea on the legal issues surrounding the following plan.

I've recently taken on a real interest in urban exploration and near to where I live, there are numerous Victorian abandoned mental assylums. My plan would be to visit this location with a few friends with our DSLRs and to gain entry to the location (might involve breaking in! :eek:) but it is fully unused and abandoned. We would then take photos inside, and leave without damaging the location, leaving anything there, or removing anything from there. It would be purely for photographic purposes.

What I really want to know is how illegal is this? Can they confiscate our cameras or demand that we delete the photos? Can we get fined and a criminal record for this, or even worse sent inside!

Just want to know really before possibly giving it a go!

Thanks in advance,
Alex
Click to expand...

there is a guy on another forum (non photography) I use (urban 75) who seems to specialise in this sort of thing. will PM you the details
 
hiya i do this sort of thing

from what i have lernt you can ask but in all honestly i very much doubt they will let you in.
as said,as soon as you start breaking in you can get arrested. if you go a find a window open or door you can just walk in (this is only cival tresspass) but depending if you get caught the police can try and pin other stuff on you.

only go in small number because then it is easier to go unnoticed.

and make sure you all do have your camera with you because then you have proof of what you are doing.

try http://northwestexploration.co.uk/
 
db247 said:
You want to check out 28dayslater.co.uk if it's still going.. that's definitely a forum you'll find very interesting.. it's all about urban exploration.
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It is still going:

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/index.php?

I cant see the owner giving permission as their are likely to be all manner of health and safety issues. You can seek to find out ownership on line from the land registry or if there has been a recent planning application/permission this should give you ownership information. There may well be a local managing agent.

National Grid are digging a hugh cable tunnel near me and I thought this would make for good photographs but trying to get hold of the right person is like a nighmare!

Kevin
 
As an odd suggestion you might like to take a hard hat and safety boots, not only will it make you much less likely to be stopped, but it also serves the intended purpose...

Be sensible, and remember that trespass is a civil offense so unless you cause damage, or commit some other crime you shouldn't be in any real bother.
 
Some of the replies above are a bit misleading.

Breaking into somebody else's property isn't a good idea, and it's not really fair on the owner. Ok, you could argue that if it really is abandoned (if it's guarded, then it's not really abandoned, is it?) then it won't matter, but I suggest you look harder - there's almost always a way in.

If you break in, you also break the law. However, there is no such offence as 'breaking and entering' - instead you'd be charged with criminal damage, and/or attempted burglary.

As has been said, the simple act of trespass is not a criminal matter, and you will not be persued for this. Also, nobody has the right to force you to delete your photos - the real problem comes when photographers are asked, they comply, and then they complain. It's your decision. Personally, I'd never destroy my property at somebody else's request.

pxl8 is right - you will not get permission to enter. The healthy and safety issues are numerous, plus the owners most likely won't appreciate your motivation anyway.
 
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