Search Legislation

Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015

Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Offences involving intent to cause distress etc

 Help about opening options

No versions valid at: 12/02/2015

Status:

Point in time view as at 12/02/2015. This version of this cross heading contains provisions that are not valid for this point in time. Help about Status

Close

Status

Not valid for this point in time generally means that a provision was not in force for the point in time you have selected to view it on.

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, Cross Heading: Offences involving intent to cause distress etc. 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.

Valid from 13/04/2015

Offences involving intent to cause distress etcU.K.

32Sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxietyU.K.

(1)In section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 (offence of sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxiety), for subsection (4) substitute—

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

(a)on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine (or both);

(b)on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine (or both).

(5)In relation to an offence committed before section 154(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 comes into force, the reference in subsection (4)(b) to 12 months is to be read as a reference to six months.

(6)In relation to an offence committed before section 85 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 comes into force, the reference in subsection (4)(b) to a fine is to be read as a reference to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.

(2)The amendment made by this section applies only in relation to an offence committed on or after the day on which it comes into force.

33Disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distressE+W

(1)It is an offence for a person to disclose a private sexual photograph or film if the disclosure is made—

(a)without the consent of an individual who appears in the photograph or film, and

(b)with the intention of causing that individual distress.

(2)But it is not an offence under this section for the person to disclose the photograph or film to the individual mentioned in subsection (1)(a) and (b).

(3)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he or she reasonably believed that the disclosure was necessary for the purposes of preventing, detecting or investigating crime.

(4)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to show that—

(a)the disclosure was made in the course of, or with a view to, the publication of journalistic material, and

(b)he or she reasonably believed that, in the particular circumstances, the publication of the journalistic material was, or would be, in the public interest.

(5)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to show that—

(a)he or she reasonably believed that the photograph or film had previously been disclosed for reward, whether by the individual mentioned in subsection (1)(a) and (b) or another person, and

(b)he or she had no reason to believe that the previous disclosure for reward was made without the consent of the individual mentioned in subsection (1)(a) and (b).

(6)A person is taken to have shown the matters mentioned in subsection (4) or (5) if—

(a)sufficient evidence of the matters is adduced to raise an issue with respect to it, and

(b)the contrary is not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

(7)For the purposes of subsections (1) to (5)—

(a)“consent” to a disclosure includes general consent covering the disclosure, as well as consent to the particular disclosure, and

(b)“publication” of journalistic material means disclosure to the public at large or to a section of the public.

(8)A person charged with an offence under this section is not to be taken to have disclosed a photograph or film with the intention of causing distress merely because that was a natural and probable consequence of the disclosure.

(9)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine (or both), and

(b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine (or both).

(10)Schedule 8 makes special provision in connection with the operation of this section in relation to persons providing information society services.

(11)In relation to an offence committed before section 154(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 comes into force, the reference in subsection (9)(b) to 12 months is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

(12)In relation to an offence committed before section 85 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 comes into force, the reference in subsection (9)(b) to a fine is to be read as a reference to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.

34Meaning of “disclose” and “photograph or film”E+W

(1)The following apply for the purposes of section 33, this section and section 35.

(2)A person “discloses” something to a person if, by any means, he or she gives or shows it to the person or makes it available to the person.

(3)Something that is given, shown or made available to a person is disclosed—

(a)whether or not it is given, shown or made available for reward, and

(b)whether or not it has previously been given, shown or made available to the person.

(4)Photograph or film” means a still or moving image in any form that—

(a)appears to consist of or include one or more photographed or filmed images, and

(b)in fact consists of or includes one or more photographed or filmed images.

(5)The reference in subsection (4)(b) to photographed or filmed images includes photographed or filmed images that have been altered in any way.

(6)Photographed or filmed image” means a still or moving image that—

(a)was originally captured by photography or filming, or

(b)is part of an image originally captured by photography or filming.

(7)Filming” means making a recording, on any medium, from which a moving image may be produced by any means.

(8)References to a photograph or film include—

(a)a negative version of an image described in subsection (4), and

(b)data stored by any means which is capable of conversion into an image described in subsection (4).

35Meaning of “private” and “sexual”E+W

(1)The following apply for the purposes of section 33.

(2)A photograph or film is “private” if it shows something that is not of a kind ordinarily seen in public.

(3)A photograph or film is “sexual” if—

(a)it shows all or part of an individual's exposed genitals or pubic area,

(b)it shows something that a reasonable person would consider to be sexual because of its nature, or

(c)its content, taken as a whole, is such that a reasonable person would consider it to be sexual.

(4)Subsection (5) applies in the case of —

(a)a photograph or film that consists of or includes a photographed or filmed image that has been altered in any way,

(b)a photograph or film that combines two or more photographed or filmed images, and

(c)a photograph or film that combines a photographed or filmed image with something else.

(5)The photograph or film is not private and sexual if—

(a)it does not consist of or include a photographed or filmed image that is itself private and sexual,

(b)it is only private or sexual by virtue of the alteration or combination mentioned in subsection (4), or

(c)it is only by virtue of the alteration or combination mentioned in subsection (4) that the person mentioned in section 33(1)(a) and (b) is shown as part of, or with, whatever makes the photograph or film private and sexual.

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.

Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.

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