No such thing as 'English Territory'. 12 mile limit applies.
The 12-mile limit (or 12 nautical miles) defines the maximum breadth of a coastal state's territorial sea, over which the state exercises full sovereignty. This standard was codified in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and applies to the water surface, airspace above, and seabed below.
Key aspects of the limit include:
Sovereignty and Innocent Passage: While coastal states have full jurisdiction, foreign vessels are granted the right of innocent passage through these waters, provided they do not threaten the peace or security of the coastal state.
Historical Context: The limit evolved from older three-mile limits (based on cannon range) to a global standard, with the United States officially extending its claim to 12 miles in 1988 via Presidential Proclamation 5928.
Measurement: The distance is measured from a country's official baseline (typically the low-water line), not necessarily the visible coastline.
Subsequent Zones: Beyond the 12-mile territorial sea lies the contiguous zone (up to 24 miles), where states have limited enforcement powers regarding customs and immigration, and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (up to 200 miles), which grants resource rights but not full sovereignty.
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Is the boat slasher being prosecuted in France then ?...[more]