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PART 1SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING OFFENCES

Sentencing for offences under section 1 or 2

Aggravating factors

6.—(1) Where a court is considering for the purposes of sentencing the seriousness of an offence under section 1 or 2, the court must treat the following as aggravating factors—

(a)the offence was committed by a public official in relation to the performance of her or his duties;

(b)the offence was committed by a member of the family of the victim;

(c)the offence was committed by a person in a position of trust;

(d)the offence was committed against a child;

(e)the offence was committed against a vulnerable adult;

(f)the offence was committed by the use of threats against a member of the family of the victim;

(g)the offender deliberately or by gross negligence endangered the life of the victim;

(h)the offence caused serious harm to the victim; or

(i)the offence was committed by a person who has previously been convicted—

(i)of an offence under section 1 or 2;

(ii)of an offence under any provision repealed by this Act;

(iii)in respect of anything done outside Northern Ireland which was not an offence mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) or (ii) but would have been such an offence if done in Northern Ireland.

(2) In this section—

“public official” means—

(a)

a member of the Northern Ireland civil service or the United Kingdom civil service;

(b)

a person employed by a body established by an Act of Parliament or by Northern Ireland legislation;

(c)

the holder of an office established by an Act of Parliament or by Northern Ireland legislation;

(d)

a police officer;

“serious harm” has the same meaning as in Article 3 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008.