Capital punishment in the United Kingdom Capital punishment in the United Kingdom Capital punishment in the United Kingdom was used from ancient times until the second half of the 20th century. The last executions in the United Kingdom were by hanging, and took place in 1964, prior to :capital punishment being abolished for murder (in 1965 in Great Britain and in 1973 in Northern Ireland). Although unused, the death penalty remained a legally defined punishment for certain offences such as treason until it was completely abolished in 1998. In 2004 the 13th Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights became binding on the United Kingdom,
Death penalty in the Bible Rashi says that there must be two witnesses of a murder for a murderer to receive the death penalty, because murder destroys the image of God. Certain sins are punishable by death in the Torah, including idolatry, taking God's name in vain, violation of the Sabbath, rebellion against parents, murder, and adultery. In 1 Kings 18:40, Elijah kills the prophets of Baal. The Talmud explains that, while Elijah himself deserved death for offering sacrifice on a mountain, the mitzvot Elijah had contravened was abrogated. John 8:3-11 records a woman caught in adultery being brought to Jesus for judgment. Jesus does