Part 1Sexual Offences
Sexual exploitation of children
47Paying for sexual services of a child
F1(1)
A person (A) commits an offence if—
(a)
he intentionally obtains for himself the sexual services of another person (B),
(b)
before obtaining those services, he has made or promised payment for those services to B or a third person, or knows that another person has made or promised such a payment, and
(c)
either—
(i)
B is under 18, and A does not reasonably believe that B is 18 or over, or
(ii)
B is under 13.
(2)
In this section, “payment” means any financial advantage, including the discharge of an obligation to pay or the provision of goods or services (including sexual services) gratuitously or at a discount.
(3)
A person guilty of an offence under this section against a person under 13, where subsection (6) applies, is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.
(4)
Unless subsection (3) applies, a person guilty of an offence under this section against a person under 16 is liable—
(a)
where subsection (6) applies, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years;
(b)
in any other case—
(i)
on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both;
(ii)
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years.
(5)
Unless subsection (3) or (4) applies, a person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
(a)
on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both;
(b)
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years.
(6)
This subsection applies where the offence involved—
(a)
penetration of B’s anus or vagina with a part of A’s body or anything else,
(b)
penetration of B’s mouth with A’s penis,
(c)
penetration of A’s anus or vagina with a part of B’s body or by B with anything else, or
(d)
penetration of A’s mouth with B’s penis.
(7)
F2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .