6†Intercourse with girl between thirteen and sixteen. E+W
(1)It is an offence, subject to the exceptions mentioned in this section, for a man to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl . . . F1 under the age of sixteen.
(2)Where a marriage is invalid under section two of the M1Marriage Act 1949, or section one of the M2Age of Marriage Act 1929 (the wife being a girl under the age of sixteen), the invalidity does not make the husband guilty of an offence under this section because he has sexual intercourse with her, if he believes her to be his wife and has reasonable cause for the belief.
(3)A man is not guilty of an offence under this section because he has unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of sixteen, if he is under the age of twenty-four and has not previously been charged with a like offence, and he believes her to be of the age of sixteen or over and has reasonable cause for the belief.
In this subsection, “a like offence” means an offence under this section or an attempt to commit one, or an offence under paragraph (1) of section five of the M3Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 (the provision replaced for England and Wales by this section).
Textual Amendments
F1Words repealed by Criminal Law Act 1967 (c. 58), Sch. 2 para. 14
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Unreliable marginal note
C2S. 6 amended as to mode of trial by Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43, SIF 82), Sch. 1 para. 23(a)
Marginal Citations