Citation 51 Geo III c. 23 Territorial extent British Empire | Introduced by Henry Brougham Royal assent May 1811 | |
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Long title An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade | ||
The Slave Trade Felony Act 1811 (51 Geo. III, c. 23) was a piece of British legislation which made engagement in the slave trade a felony. The earlier Slave Trade Act 1807 merely imposed fines which were insufficient to deter entrepreneurs from engaging in such a profitable business. The contexts in which it could be applied and how these sat within international criminal law gave rise to controversy.
The first case brought under the act was that of Samuel Samo, who was tried by Chief Justice Robert Thorpe at the Vice-Admiralty Court in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The case was heard from 8-11 April 1812.
References
Slave Trade Felony Act 1811 Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA