Search Legislation

Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Offences involving sexual grooming or pornographic images

 Help about opening options

Alternative versions:

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, Cross Heading: Offences involving sexual grooming or pornographic images. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Offences involving sexual grooming or pornographic imagesU.K.

36Meeting a child following sexual grooming etcU.K.

(1)In section 15(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (meeting a child following sexual grooming etc), for “on at least two occasions” substitute “ on one or more occasions ”.

(2)In a case in which person A met or communicated with person B only once before the event mentioned in section 15(1)(a)(i) to (iii) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, an offence under that section is committed only if the meeting or communication took place after this section comes into force.

Commencement Information

I1S. 36 in force at 13.4.2015 by S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 30

37Possession of pornographic images of rape and assault by penetrationU.K.

(1)Part 5 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 is amended as follows.

(2)In section 63 (possession of extreme pornographic images)—

(a)after subsection (5) insert—

(5A)In relation to possession of an image in England and Wales, an “extreme image” is an image which—

(a)falls within subsection (7) or (7A), and

(b)is grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character.,

(b)in subsection (6), for “An” substitute “ In relation to possession of an image in Northern Ireland, an ”, and

(c)after subsection (7) insert—

(7A)An image falls within this subsection if it portrays, in an explicit and realistic way, either of the following—

(a)an act which involves the non-consensual penetration of a person's vagina, anus or mouth by another with the other person's penis, or

(b)an act which involves the non-consensual sexual penetration of a person's vagina or anus by another with a part of the other person's body or anything else,

and a reasonable person looking at the image would think that the persons were real.

(7B)For the purposes of subsection (7A)—

(a)penetration is a continuing act from entry to withdrawal;

(b)vagina” includes vulva.

(3)In section 66 (defence: participation in consensual acts)—

(a)before subsection (1) insert—

(A1)Subsection (A2) applies where in England and Wales—

(a)a person (“D”) is charged with an offence under section 63, and

(b)the offence relates to an image that portrays an act or acts within subsection (7)(a) to (c) or (7A) of that section (but does not portray an act within subsection (7)(d) of that section).

(A2)It is a defence for D to prove—

(a)that D directly participated in the act or any of the acts portrayed, and

(b)that the act or acts did not involve the infliction of any non-consensual harm on any person, and

(c)if the image portrays an act within section 63(7)(c), that what is portrayed as a human corpse was not in fact a corpse, and

(d)if the image portrays an act within section 63(7A), that what is portrayed as non-consensual penetration was in fact consensual., and

(b)in subsection (1)—

(i)for “This section” substitute “ Subsection (2) ”, and

(ii)after “where” insert “ in Northern Ireland ”.

(4)In section 67 (penalties for possession of extreme pornographic images)—

(a)in subsection (2), for “Except where subsection (3) applies to the offence” substitute “ If the offence relates to an image that portrays any relevant act (with or without other acts) ”,

(b)in subsection (3), for “act within section 63(7)(a) or (b)” substitute “ relevant act ”, and

(c)after subsection (4) insert—

(5)In this section “relevant act” means—

(a)in relation to England and Wales, an act within section 63(7)(a) or (b) or (7A)(a) or (b);

(b)in relation to Northern Ireland, an act within section 63(7)(a) or (b).

(5)In Schedule 14 (special rules relating to providers of information society services)—

(a)after paragraph 1(3) insert—

(3A)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2), “extreme pornographic image” has the meaning given by section 63(2) and in determining whether a domestic service provider is in possession of such an image—

(a)where the service provider is established in England and Wales, “extreme image” has the meaning given by section 63(5A);

(b)where the service provider is established in Northern Ireland, “extreme image” has the meaning given by section 63(6)., and

(b)omit paragraph 6(2).

Commencement Information

I2S. 37 in force at 13.4.2015 by S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 31 (with Sch. 2 para. 1)

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open Schedules only

The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Impact Assessments

Impact Assessments generally accompany all UK Government interventions of a regulatory nature that affect the private sector, civil society organisations and public services. They apply regardless of whether the regulation originates from a domestic or international source and can accompany primary (Acts etc) and secondary legislation (SIs). An Impact Assessment allows those with an interest in the policy area to understand:

  • Why the government is proposing to intervene;
  • The main options the government is considering, and which one is preferred;
  • How and to what extent new policies may impact on them; and,
  • The estimated costs and benefits of proposed measures.
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources