Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000

3 Abuse of position of trust. U.K.

[F1 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, it shall be an offence for a person aged 18 or over—

(a) to have sexual intercourse (whether vaginal or anal) with a person under that age; or

(b) to engage in any other sexual activity with or directed towards such a person,

if (in either case) he is in a position of trust in relation to that person.

(2) Where a person (“ A ”) is charged with an offence under this section of having sexual intercourse with, or engaging in any other sexual activity with or directed towards, another person (“ B ”), it shall be a defence for A to prove that, at the time of the intercourse or activity—

(a) he did not know, and could not reasonably have been expected to know, that B was under 18;

(b) he did not know, and could not reasonably have been expected to know, that B was a person in relation to whom he was in a position of trust; or

(c) he was lawfully married to[F2 , or in civil partnership with,] B.

(3) It shall not be an offence under this section for a person (“ A ”) to have sexual intercourse with, or engage in any other sexual activity with or directed towards, another person (“ B ”) if immediately before the commencement of this Act—

(a) A was in a position of trust in relation to B; and

(b) a sexual relationship existed between them.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to a fine, or to both.

(5) In this section, “ sexual activity ”—

(a) does not include any activity which a reasonable person would regard as sexual only with knowledge of the intentions, motives or feelings of the parties; but

(b) subject to that, means any activity which such a person would regard as sexual in all the circumstances.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 4 repealed (E.W.N.I.) (1.5.2004) by Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42), s. 141, Sch. 6 para. 45(4), Sch. 7; S.I. 2004/874, art. 2

F2 Words in s. 3(2)(c) inserted (S.) (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), s. 263(10)(c), Sch. 28 para. 62; S.S.I. 2005/604, arts. 2(c), 4

Commencement Information

I1 S. 3 wholly in force; s. 3 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 7(3); s. 3 in force for E.W.N.I. at 8.1.2001 by S.I. 2000/3303, art. 2; s. 3 in force for S. by S.S.I. 2000/452, art. 2(c)