Part 2U.K.Notification and orders

[F1Sexual risk orders (England and Wales)E+W

122ASexual risk orders: applications, grounds and effectE+W

[F2(1)A person mentioned in subsection (1A) (“the applicant”) may by complaint to a magistrates’ court apply for an order under this section (a “sexual risk order”) in respect of a person (“the defendant”) if it appears to the applicant that the condition in subsection (2) is met.

(1A)Those persons are—

(a)a chief officer of police;

(b)the Director General of the National Crime Agency (“the Director General”);

(c)the chief constable of the British Transport Police Force;

(d)the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police.]

(2)The condition is that the defendant has, whether before or after the commencement of this Part, done an act of a sexual nature as a result of which there is reasonable cause to believe that it is necessary for a sexual risk order to be made.

[F3(2A)If a list has been published under section 172 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (list of countries where children are at high risk of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation) and has not been withdrawn, a person mentioned in subsection (1A) must have regard to the list in considering—

(a)whether as a result of the act mentioned in subsection (2) there is reasonable cause to believe that it is necessary for a sexual risk order to be made for the purpose of protecting children generally, or any particular children, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom, and

(b)whether to apply for a prohibition on foreign travel (see section 122C) to be included in any such order for that purpose.]

(3)A chief officer of police may make an application under subsection (1) only in respect of a person—

(a)who resides in the chief officer's police area, or

(b)who the chief officer believes is in that area or is intending to come to it.

(4)An application under subsection (1) may be made to any magistrates' court acting for a local justice area that includes—

(a)any part of a relevant police area, or

(b)any place where it is alleged that the person acted in a way mentioned in subsection (2).

[F4(5)If the Director General, the chief constable of the British Transport Police Force or the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police makes an application under subsection (1), that person must as soon as practicable notify the chief officer of police for a relevant police area of that application.]

[F5(6)On an application under subsection (1), the court may make a sexual risk order if—

(a)the court is satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the defendant has, whether before or after the commencement of this Part, done one or more of the acts of a sexual nature alleged by the person making the application, and

(b)the court is satisfied that as a result of the defendant acting in such a way it is necessary to make such an order for the purpose of—

(i)protecting the public or any particular members of the public from harm from the defendant, or

(ii)protecting children or vulnerable adults generally, or any particular children or vulnerable adults, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom.]

[F6(6A)If a list has been published under section 172 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and has not been withdrawn, the court must have regard to the list in considering—

(a)whether a sexual risk order is necessary for the purpose of protecting children generally, or any particular children, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom, and

(b)in particular, whether a prohibition on foreign travel (see section 122C) is necessary for that purpose.]

[F7(7)A sexual risk order may—

(a)prohibit the defendant from doing anything described in the order;

(b)require the defendant to do anything described in the order.]

(8)A sexual risk order may specify[F8—

(a)has effect for a fixed period (not less than 2 years) specified in the order or until further order, and

(b)may specify different periods for different prohibitions or requirements].

(9)The only prohibitions [F9or requirements] that may be imposed are those necessary for the purpose of—

(a)protecting the public or any particular members of the public from harm from the defendant, or

(b)protecting children or vulnerable adults generally, or any particular children or vulnerable adults, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom.

[F10(9A)The prohibitions or requirements which are imposed on the defendant by a sexual risk order must, so far as practicable, be such as to avoid—

(a)any conflict with the defendant’s religious beliefs,

(b)any interference with the times, if any, at which the defendant normally works or attends any educational establishment, and

(c)any conflict with any other court order or injunction to which the defendant may be subject (but see subsection (10)).]

(10)Where a court makes a sexual risk order in relation to a person who is already subject to such an order (whether made by that court or another), the earlier order ceases to have effect.

122BSection 122A: interpretationE+W

(1)In section 122A—

• “child” means a person under 18;

• “harm” from the defendant means physical or psychological harm caused by the defendant doing an act of a sexual nature;

• “the public” means the public in the United Kingdom;

• “vulnerable adult” means a person aged 18 or over whose ability to protect himself or herself from physical or psychological harm is significantly impaired through physical or mental disability or illness, through old age or otherwise.

(2)Where the defendant is a child, a reference in that section to a magistrates' court is to be taken as referring to a youth court (subject to any rules of court made under section 122K(1)).

(3)In that section “relevant police area” means—

(a)where the applicant is a chief officer of police, the officer's police area;

(b)where the applicant is the [F11applicant] of the National Crime Agency [F12, the chief constable of the British Transport Police Force or the chief constable for the Ministry of Defence Police]—

(i)the police area where the person in question resides, or

(ii)a police area which the Director General believes the person is in or is intending to come to.

[F13122BASexual risk orders: requirements included in order etc.E+W

(1)A sexual risk order that imposes a requirement to do something on a defendant must specify a person who is to be responsible for supervising compliance with the requirement.

The person may be an individual or an organisation.

(2)Before including such a requirement in a sexual risk order, the court must receive evidence about its suitability and enforceability from—

(a)the individual to be specified under subsection (1), if an individual is to be specified;

(b)an individual representing the organisation to be specified under subsection (1), if an organisation is to be specified.

(3)Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply in relation to electronic monitoring requirements (see instead section 122EA(5) and (6)).

(4)It is the duty of a person specified under subsection (1)—

(a)to make any necessary arrangements in connection with the requirements for which the person has responsibility (“the relevant requirements”);

(b)to promote the defendant’s compliance with the relevant requirements;

(c)if the person considers that—

(i)the defendant has complied with all the relevant requirements, or

(ii)the defendant has failed to comply with a relevant requirement,

to inform the appropriate chief officer of police.

(5)In subsection (4)(c) the “appropriate chief officer of police means—

(a)the chief officer of police for the police area in which it appears to the person specified under subsection (1) that the defendant resides, or

(b)if it appears to that person that the defendant resides in more than one police area, whichever of the chief officers of police of those areas the person thinks it is most appropriate to inform.

(6)A defendant subject to a requirement imposed by a sexual risk order must—

(a)keep in touch with the person specified under subsection (1) in relation to that requirement, in accordance with any instructions given by that person from time to time, and

(b)notify that person of any change of the defendant’s home address.

These obligations have effect as requirements of the order.]

122CSexual risk orders: prohibitions on foreign travelE+W

(1)A prohibition on foreign travel contained in a sexual risk order must not be for a period of more than 5 years.

(2)A “prohibition on foreign travel” means—

(a)a prohibition on travelling to any country outside the United Kingdom named or described in the order,

(b)a prohibition on travelling to any country outside the United Kingdom other than a country named or described in the order, or

(c)a prohibition on travelling to any country outside the United Kingdom.

(3)Subsection (1) does not prevent a prohibition on foreign travel from being extended for a further period (of no more than 5 years each time) under section 122D.

(4)A sexual risk order that contains a prohibition within subsection (2)(c) must require the defendant to surrender all of the defendant's passports at a police station specified in the order—

(a)on or before the date when the prohibition takes effect, or

(b)within a period specified in the order.

(5)Any passports surrendered must be returned as soon as reasonably practicable after the person ceases to be subject to a sexual risk order containing such a prohibition (unless the person is subject to an equivalent prohibition under another order).

(6)Subsection (5) does not apply in relation to—

(a)a passport issued by or on behalf of the authorities of a country outside the United Kingdom if the passport has been returned to those authorities;

(b)a passport issued by or on behalf of an international organisation if the passport has been returned to that organisation.

(7)In this section “passport” means—

(a)a United Kingdom passport within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971;

(b)a passport issued by or on behalf of the authorities of a country outside the United Kingdom, or by or on behalf of an international organisation;

(c)a document that can be used (in some or all circumstances) instead of a passport.

122DSexual risk order: variations, renewals and dischargesE+W

(1)A person within subsection (2) may by complaint to the appropriate court apply for an order varying, renewing or discharging a sexual risk order.

(2)The persons are—

(a)the defendant;

(b)the chief officer of police for the area in which the defendant resides;

(c)a chief officer of police who believes that the defendant is in, or is intending to come to, that officer's police area;

[F14(2A)If a list has been published under section 172 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (list of countries where children are at high risk of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation) and has not been withdrawn, a person mentioned in subsection (2)(b) to (d) must have regard to the list in considering—

(a)whether to apply for an order varying or renewing a sexual risk order for the purpose of protecting children generally, or any particular children, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom, and

(b)in particular, whether to apply for an order imposing, varying or renewing a prohibition on foreign travel for that purpose.]

(d)where the order was made on an application by a chief officer of police, that officer.

(3)Subject to subsections (4) and (5), on [F15an application made under this section] the court, after hearing the person making the application and (if they wish to be heard) the other persons mentioned in subsection (2), may make any order, varying, renewing or discharging the sexual risk order, that the court considers appropriate.

(4)An order may be renewed, or varied so as to impose additional prohibitions [F16or requirements] on the defendant, only if it is necessary to do so for the purpose of—

(a)protecting the public or any particular members of the public from harm from the defendant, or

(b)protecting children or vulnerable adults generally, or any particular children or vulnerable adults, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom.

Any renewed or varied order may contain only such prohibitions [F17and requirements] as are necessary for this purpose.

[F18(4A)Any additional prohibitions or requirements that are imposed on the defendant must, so far as practicable, be such as to avoid—

(a)any conflict with the defendant’s religious beliefs,

(b)any interference with the times, if any, at which the defendant normally works or attends any educational establishment, and

(c)any conflict with any other court order or injunction to which the defendant may be subject.]

[F19(4B)If a list has been published under section 172 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and has not been withdrawn, the court must have regard to the list in considering—

(a)whether any order varying or renewing the sexual risk order is necessary for the purposes of protecting children generally, or any particular children, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom, and

(b)in particular, whether an order imposing, varying or renewing a prohibition on foreign travel is necessary for that purpose.]

(5)The court must not discharge an order before the end of 2 years beginning with the day on which the order was made, without the consent of the defendant and—

(a)where the application is made by a chief officer of police, that chief officer, or

(b)in any other case, the chief officer of police for the area in which the defendant resides.

(6)Section 122B(1) applies for the purposes of this section.

(7)In this section “the appropriate court” means—

(a)where an adult magistrates' court made the sexual risk order, that court, any adult magistrates' court for the area in which the defendant resides or, where the application is made by a chief officer of police, any adult magistrates' court acting for a local justice area that includes any part of the chief officer's police area;

(b)where a youth court made the order and the defendant is under the age of 18, that court, a youth court for the area in which the defendant resides or, where the application is made by a chief officer of police, any youth court acting for a local justice area that includes any part of the chief officer's police area;

(c)where a youth court made the order and the defendant is aged 18 or over, an adult magistrates' court for the area in which the defendant resides or, where the application is made by a chief officer of police, any adult magistrates' court acting for a local justice area that includes any part of the chief officer's police area.

In this subsection “adult magistrates' court” means a magistrates' court that is not a youth court.

122EInterim sexual risk ordersE+W

(1)This section applies where an application for a sexual risk order (“the main application”) has not been determined.

(2)An application for an order under this section (“an interim sexual risk order”)—

(a)may be made by the complaint by which the main application is made, or

(b)if the main application has been made, may be made by the person who has made that application, by complaint to the court to which that application has been made.

[F20(2A)If a list has been published under section 172 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (list of countries where children are at high risk of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation) and has not been withdrawn, a person who has made, or is considering making, an application for a sexual risk order must have regard to the list in considering—

(a)whether to apply for an interim sexual risk order for the purpose of protecting children generally, or any particular children, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom, and

(b)in particular, whether to apply for a prohibition on foreign travel to be included in any such order for that purpose.]

(3)The court may, if it considers it just to do so, make an interim sexual risk order[F21—

(a)prohibiting the defendant from doing anything described in the order;

(b)requiring the defendant to do anything described in the order.]

[F22(3A)If a list has been published under section 172 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and has not been withdrawn, the court must have regard to the list in considering—

(a)whether to make an interim sexual risk order for the purpose of protecting children generally, or any particular children, from harm from the defendant outside the United Kingdom, and

(b)in particular, whether to include a prohibition on foreign travel in any such order for that purpose.]

(4)Such an order—

(a)has effect only for a fixed period, specified in the order;

(b)ceases to have effect, if it has not already done so, on the determination of the main application.

(5)The applicant or the defendant may by complaint apply to the court that made the interim sexual risk order for the order to be varied, renewed or discharged.

[F23(6)Subsections (2A) and (3A) apply in relation to an application for the variation or renewal of an interim sexual risk order as they apply in relation to an application for such an order.]

[F24(7)If the Director General of the National Crime Agency, the chief constable of the British Transport Police Force or the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police makes an application under this section, that person must as soon as practicable notify the chief officer of police for a relevant police area of that application.

(8)In subsection (7), “relevant police area” has the same meaning as in section 122A (sexual risk orders: applications, grounds and effect) (see section 122B(3)).]

122FSexual risk orders and interim sexual risk orders: notification requirementsU.K.

(1)A person in respect of whom a court makes—

(a)a sexual risk order (other than one that replaces an interim sexual risk order), or

(b)an interim sexual risk order,

must, within the period of 3 days beginning with the date of service of the order, notify to the police the information set out in subsection (2) (unless the person is subject to the notification requirements of this Part on that date).

(2)The information is—

(a)the person's name and, where the person uses one or more other names, each of those names;

(b)the person's home address.

(3)A person who—

(a)is subject to a sexual risk order or an interim sexual risk order (but is not subject to the notification requirements of this Part), and

(b)uses a name which has not been notified under this section (or under any other provision of this Part), or changes home address,

must, within the period of 3 days beginning with the date on which that happens, notify to the police that name or (as the case may be) the new home address.

(4)Sections 87 (method of notification and related matters) and 91 (offences relating to notification) apply for the purposes of this section—

(a)with references to section 83(1) being read as references to subsection (1) above,

(b)with references to section 84(1) being read as references to subsection (3) above, and

(c)with the omission of section 87(2)(b).

122GSexual risk orders and interim sexual risk orders: appealsE+W

(1)A defendant may appeal to the Crown Court—

(a)against the making of a sexual risk order;

(b)against the making of an interim sexual risk order; or

(c)against the making of an order under section 122D, or the refusal to make such an order.

(2)On any such appeal, the Crown Court may make such orders as may be necessary to give effect to its determination of the appeal, and may also make such incidental or consequential orders as appear to it to be just.

(3)Any order made by the Crown Court on an appeal under subsection (1)(a) or (b) (other than an order directing that an application be re-heard by a magistrates' court) is for the purposes of section 122D(7) or 122E(5) (respectively) to be treated as if it were an order of the court from which the appeal was brought (and not an order of the Crown Court).

122HOffence: breach of sexual risk order or interim sexual risk order etcE+W

[F25(A1)A person who, without reasonable excuse—

(a)does anything that the person is prohibited from doing by a sexual risk order or an interim sexual risk order, or

(b)fails to do something that the person is required to do by a sexual risk order or an interim sexual risk order,

commits an offence.]

(1)A person who, without reasonable excuse, does anything that the person is prohibited from doing by—

F26(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F27(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)a risk of sexual harm order,

(d)an interim risk of sexual harm order,

F28(e). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F29(f). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

commits an offence.

[F30(1A)A person who, without reasonable excuse, does anything that the person is required to do by a risk of sexual harm order that has been renewed or varied as mentioned in section 136ZJ(7) commits an offence.

(1B)A person who, without reasonable excuse—

(a)does anything that the person is prohibited from doing by a relevant Scottish order, or

(b)fails to do something that the person is required to do by a relevant Scottish order,

commits an offence.

(1C)In subsection (1B) “relevant Scottish order” means—

(a)a sexual risk order made under section 27 of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 (asp 22), or

(b)an interim sexual risk order made under section 31 of that Act.]

F31(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine or both;

(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years.

(4)Where a person is convicted of an offence under this section, it is not open to the court by or before which the person is convicted to make, in respect of the offence, an order for conditional discharge.

122IEffect of conviction etc of an offence under section 122H etcE+W

(1)This section applies to a person (“the defendant”) who—

(a)is convicted of an offence mentioned in subsection (2);

(b)is found not guilty of such an offence by reason of insanity;

(c)is found to be under a disability and to have done the act charged against him in respect of such an offence; or

(d)is cautioned in respect of such an offence.

(2)Those offences are—

(a)an offence under section 122H or 128 of this Act;

F32(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F33(2A)This section also applies to a person (“the defendant”) who—

(a)is convicted of an offence mentioned in subsection (2B),

(b)is acquitted of such an offence by reason of the special defence set out in section 51A of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, or

(c)is found, in respect of such an offence, to be unfit for trial under section 53F of that Act in a case where the court determines that the defendant has done the act constituting the offence.

(2B)Those offences are—

(a)an offence under section 34 of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 (asp 22) (breach of sexual risk order or interim sexual risk order in Scotland);

(b)an offence under section 37 of that Act (breach of equivalent orders) in respect of a breach of an order made under section 122A, 122E, 123 or 126 of this Act.]

(3)Where—

(a)a defendant was a relevant offender immediately before this section applied to the defendant, and

(b)the defendant would (apart from this subsection) cease to be subject to the notification requirements of this Part while the relevant order (as renewed from time to time) has effect,

the defendant remains subject to the notification requirements.

(4)Where the defendant was not a relevant offender immediately before this section applied to the defendant—

(a)this section causes the defendant to become subject to the notification requirements of this Part from the time the section first applies to the defendant until the relevant order (as renewed from time to time) ceases to have effect, and

(b)this Part applies to the defendant, subject to the modification set out in subsection (5).

(5)The “relevant date” is the date on which this section first applies to the defendant.

(6)In this section “relevant order” means—

(a)where the conviction, finding [F34, caution or acquittal] within subsection (1) [F35or (2A)] is in respect of a breach of a sexual risk order or a risk of sexual harm order, that order;

(b)where the conviction, finding [F36, caution or acquittal] within subsection (1) [F37or (2A)] is in respect of a breach of an interim sexual risk order or an interim risk of sexual harm order, any sexual risk order or risk of sexual harm order made on the hearing of the application to which the interim order relates or, if no such order is made, the interim order.

[F38(6A)In subsection (6) “sexual risk order” and “interim sexual risk order” include orders under sections 27 and 31 (respectively) of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016.]

F39(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

122JSexual risk orders and interim sexual risk orders: guidanceE+W

(1)The Secretary of State must issue guidance to [F40chief officers of police, the Director General of the National Crime Agency, the chief constable of the British Transport Police Force and the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police] in relation to the exercise by them of their powers with regard to sexual risk orders and interim sexual risk orders.

(2)The Secretary of State may, from time to time, revise the guidance issued under subsection (1).

(3)The Secretary of State must arrange for any guidance issued or revised under this section to be published in such manner as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

122KSexual risk orders and interim sexual risk orders: supplementaryE+W

(1)Rules of court—

(a)may provide for a youth court to give permission for an application under section 122A against a person aged 18 or over to be made to the youth court if—

(i)an application to the youth court has been made, or is to be made, under that section against a person aged under 18, and

(ii)the youth court thinks that it would be in the interests of justice for the applications to be heard together;

(b)may, in relation to a person attaining the age of 18 after proceedings against that person by virtue of section 122A, 122D or 122E have begun—

(i)prescribe circumstances in which the proceedings may or must remain in the youth court;

(ii)make provision for the transfer of the proceedings from the youth court to a magistrates' court that is not a youth court (including provision applying section 122E with modifications).

(2)A person's age is treated for the purposes of sections 122A to 122J and this section as being that which it appears to the court to be after considering any available evidence.]