Government looks for public opinion on new Sexual Offences Bill

Proposal to update Bill

After no update for more than a century, the proposal of a new Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Bill has been put forward.

Designed with the intention of modernising the Island's laws on sex offences, Government are looking to the public for their views on the proposal.

Views are being sought on a number of areas covered in the Bill, including consent, abuse of trust, pardons for historical homosexual offences, pornography and the prohibition of up-skirting, to name but a few.

MHK Home Affairs Member, Dr Alex Allinson, will be introducing the legislation.

He says 'The proposed Bill will place all legislation relating to sexual offences and obscene publications into a single Act.'

Adding that 'we need to make sure that all members of our community are protected against sexually harmful acts.'

The consultation will be open to the public until 4 February 2019 and can be accessed online, at the Government Consultation Hub.