Clause 14 - Child sex offences committed by children or young persons

Part of Sexual Offences Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 5:00 pm on 11 September 2003.

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Photo of Vera Baird Vera Baird Labour, Redcar 5:00, 11 September 2003

My hon. Friend said that there were some predatory young people. That is right. If one introduces the defence of consent into a clause-14 type offence, someone could still be prosecuted if they had preyed on someone and there was not consent. It would not prevent that from happening. It would simply shift it into the area where consent was an issue. That is a step that my hon. Friend should consider.