Treason Act 1351 - Interpretation

Interpretation

During the trial of Roger Casement who in 1916 was accused of collaborating with Germany during World War I the defence argued that the Act applied only to activities carried out on British soil while Casement committed the acts of collaboration outside Britain. However, closer reading of the medieval document allowed for a broader interpretation, leading to the accusation that Casement was "hanged by a comma". The court decided that a comma should be read in the text, crucially widening the sense so that "in the realm or elsewhere" meant where acts were done and not just where the "King's enemies" may be.