Legislation – Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

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Introduction

PART 1
Sexual offences

CHAPTER 1 Criminal conduct

1 Voyeurism: additional offences

2 Sending etc an unwanted sexual image

3 Amendments consequential on sections 1 and 2

4 Sexual grooming: pretending to be a child

5 Abuse of position of trust: relevant positions

6 Private sexual images: threatening to disclose

7 Miscellaneous amendments as to sexual offences

CHAPTER 2 Anonymity and privacy

Anonymity of victims

8 Extended anonymity of victims

9 Disapplication of anonymity of victim after death

10 Increase in penalty for breach of anonymity

11 Special rules for providers of information society services

Anonymity of suspects

12 Restriction on reports as to suspects of sexual offences

13 Meaning of sexual offence in section 12

14 Power to disapply reporting restriction

15 Magistrates’ courts rules

16 Offence relating to reporting

17 Interpretation of sections 12 to 16

18 Consequential amendment

Exclusion from proceedings

19 Serious sexual offences: exclusion of public from court

CHAPTER 3 Guidance on this part

20 Guidance about this Part

PART 2
Trafficking and exploitation

21 Support for victims of trafficking etc

22 Defence for slavery and trafficking victims

23 Strategies on slavery and trafficking offences

24 Protective measures for victims of slavery or trafficking

PART 3
Protection from harm

CHAPTER 1 Prevention orders

25 Qualifying offences for sexual offences prevention orders

26 Time limit for making violent offences prevention orders

CHAPTER 2 Causing or risking serious harm

27 Consent to harm for sexual gratification is no defence

28 Offence of non-fatal strangulation or asphyxiation

PART 4
Final provisions

29 Ancillary regulations

30 Commencement

31 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 Consequential amendments: voyeurism and unwanted sexual images

SCHEDULE 2 Miscellaneous amendments as to sexual offences

SCHEDULE 3 Offence of breach of anonymity: providers of information society services

SCHEDULE 4 Offence of non-fatal strangulation or asphyxiation: consequential amendments

PART 1Sexual offences

CHAPTER 1Criminal conduct

Abuse of position of trust: relevant positions5

(1)

The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 is amended as follows.

(2)

In Article 2 (interpretation), after paragraph (4) insert—

“(4A)

The Department” means the Department of Justice.”.

(3)

In Article 28 (positions of trust), in paragraph (1)(b), for “an order made by the Secretary of State” substitute “regulations made by the Department”.

(4)

After Article 29 insert—

“Positions of trust: further categories29A

(1)

For the purposes of Articles 23 to 26, a person (A) is in a position of trust in relation to another person (B) if—

(a)

A coaches, teaches, trains, supervises or instructs B, on a regular basis, in a sport or a religion, and

(b)

A knows that A coaches, teaches, trains, supervises or instructs B, on a regular basis, in that sport or religion.

(2)

In paragraph (1)—

sport” includes—

(a)

any game in which physical skill is the predominant factor,

(b)

any form of physical recreation which is also engaged in for purposes of competition or display,

religion” includes—

(a)

a religion which involves belief in more than one god,

(b)

a religion which does not involve belief in a god.

(3)

Paragraph (1) does not apply where A is in a position of trust in relation to B by virtue of circumstances within Article 28.

(4)

The Department may by regulations amend paragraphs (1) and (2) so as to add or remove an activity in which a person may be coached, taught, trained, supervised or instructed.”.

(5)

In Article 80—

(a)

the heading becomes “Orders and regulations”,

(b)

after paragraph (3) insert—

“(4)

Regulations under Article 28(1)(b) or 29A(4) may not be made unless a draft of them has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the Assembly.

(5)

Regulations under this Order may include any incidental, supplementary, consequential, transitory, transitional or saving provision which the Department considers necessary or expedient.”.

(6)

The Department of Justice must annually review Article 29A(1) and (2) of the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 so as to inform the Department on whether the power in Article 29A(4) of that Order should be exercised.