Firstly there is the misconception that there is no capital punishment in Britain; there is. You can still be hung for treason, piracy on the high seas and a couple of other obscure indiscretions.

Not actually true, Beardy. Protocol 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights specifuically excludes the Death Penalty in all circumstances. "No derogation or reservation will be allowed to Protocol No. 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights" - which means once a country has signed it, it can't back out. And the United Kingdom, along with all other members of the EU, have signed it.

Any laws on the statute books, about piracy and arson in a royal dockyard and so forth, which may not actually have been repealed, no longer have any force whatsoever.