Clause 50 - Causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography
Sexual Offences Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West, Labour)
In terms of the hon. Gentleman's practice at the Bar—he will have watched the sentencing process on many occasions—if we get this wrong, does that not throw the dilemma to the courts? There might be offences of roughly comparable natures. For example, there might be a maximum of 14 years imprisonment for one thing, and an arguably similar offence might have a maximum of seven years. In terms of the relative merits of those offences, would it not be a rough guesstimate to say that the courts would view one as half as serious as the other?