(1)Subject to subsections (2) and (3) and despite section 79, a reasonable mistake as to the age of a person cannot be a defence to any charge for a sexual offence.
Section history
Section 377D — Mistake as to age in sexual offences
As in force on 31 December 2021.
The text below is this provision as reproduced in the Revised Edition that came into force on this date. A revised edition consolidates the law without changing its substance, so editorial amendments — such as renumbering, updated citations and formatting — may have been made but are not shown as a redline.
(2)The presence of a reasonable mistaken belief that a minor was of or above 18 years of age is a valid defence to a charge for a sexual offence where the fact that a minor is of or above 16 years of age but below 18 years of age is a physical element of the offence.
(3)For the purposes of subsection (2), the defence under that subsection is no longer available if at the time of the offence, the person charged with that offence —
(a)has previously been charged in court for an offence under section 375(1)(b), 375(1A)(b), 376(1) (if the victim B is below 14 years of age), 376(2) (if the victim B is below 14 years of age), 376A, 376AA, 376B, 376C, 376E, 376EA, 376EB, 376EC, 376ED, 376EE, 377BG, 377BH, 377BI, 377BJ, 377BK or 377BL or section 8 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993 or section 140(1)(i) or 145(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961; or
(b)failed to take all reasonable steps to verify that the minor was of or above 18 years of age.
Explanation.—The fact that the minor was observed to be participating in activities which are restricted to persons of or above 18 years of age, such as smoking a cigarette or admission to premises with access restricted to persons of or above 18 years of age (such as a nightclub) is neither sufficient to constitute a reasonable basis for the mistaken belief nor reasonable steps to verify that minor’s age.
(4)In this section, “sexual offence” has the meaning given by section 377CB.