Clause 3 - Assault by penetration
Sexual Offences Bill [Lords]
3:00 pm
Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield, Conservative)
I accept that my amendment might have been better if, having put in a provision to delete the paragraph, I had put in something else. That is why I raised ''lawful authority'' or ''reasonable excuse''. When we consider similar wording in subsequent clauses, we will see that I have done so, and the Minister can respond to that. I accept that it would be necessary to put in something else. The sexual element troubles me. I wonder whether it is necessary to require a jury to pose itself that question.
Beverley Hughes rose—