List of Offences
This chronological list of offences, which can be used to identify those who present a risk, or potential risk, to children, is reproduced from Home Office Guidance (‘Guidance on offences against Children’, Home Office Circular 16/2005).
|
Offence |
Section |
Act |
|---|---|---|
|
Murder |
Common Law |
|
|
Manslaughter |
Common Law |
|
|
Infanticide |
Common Law |
|
|
Kidnapping |
Common Law |
|
|
False Imprisonment |
Common Law |
|
|
Assault or battery |
Common Law |
|
|
Indecent exposure |
Section 4 |
Vagrancy Act 1824 |
|
Indecent exposure |
Section 28 |
Town Police Clauses Act 1847 |
|
Conspiring or soliciting to commit murder |
Section 4 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Administering poison, or wounding, with intent to murder |
Section 11 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Threats to kill |
Section 16 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Wounding and causing grievous bodily harm: Wounding with intent |
Section 18 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Wounding and causing grievous bodily harm: Inflicting bodily injury |
Section 20 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Maliciously administering poison |
Section 23 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Abandonment of children under two |
Section 27 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm |
Section 47 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Child stealing |
Section 56 |
Offences Against the Person Act 1861 |
|
Drunk in charge of a child under 7 years |
Section 2 |
Licensing Act 1902 |
|
Cruelty to children |
Section 1 |
Children and Young Person Act 1933 |
|
Allowing persons under 16 to be in brothels |
Section 3 |
Children and Young Person Act 1933 |
|
Causing or allowing persons under 16 to be used for begging |
Section 4 |
Children and Young Person Act 1933 |
|
Give / cause to be given intoxicating liquor to a child under 5 years |
Section 5 |
Children and Young Person Act 1933 |
|
Exposing children under seven to risk of burning |
Section 11 |
Children and Young Person Act 1933 |
|
Prohibition against persons under 16 taking part in performances endangering life and limb |
Section 23 |
Children and Young Person Act 1933 |
|
Infanticide |
Section 1 |
Infanticide Act 1983 |
|
Rape |
Section 1 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Procurement of a woman by threats |
Section 2 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Procurement of a woman by false pretences |
Section 3 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Administering drugs to obtain or facilitate intercourse |
Section 4 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Intercourse with a girl under 13 |
Section 5 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Intercourse with a girl under 16 |
Section 6 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Intercourse with defective |
Section 7 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Procurement of defective |
Section 9 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Incest by a man |
Section 10 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Incest by a woman |
Section 11 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Buggery where the victim is under 16* |
Section 12 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Indecency between men (gross indecency) |
Section 13 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Indecent assault on a woman |
Section 14 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Indecent assault on a man |
Section 15 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Assault with intent to commit buggery |
Section 16 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Abduction of a woman by force or for the sake of her property |
Section 17 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Abduction of unmarried girl under 18 from parent or guardian |
Section 19 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Abduction of unmarried girl under 16 from parent or guardian |
Section 20 |
|
|
Abduction of defective from parent or guardian |
Section 21 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Causing prostitution of women |
Section 22 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Procuration of girl under 21 |
Section 23 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Detention of a woman in a brothel or other premises |
Section 24 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Permitting a girl under 13 to use premises for intercourse |
Section 25 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Permitting a girl between 13 and 16 to use premises for intercourse |
Section 26 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Permitting defective to use premises for intercourse |
Section 27 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Causing or encouraging prostitution of, or intercourse with, or indecent assault on, girl under 16 |
Section 28 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Causing or encouraging prostitution of a defective |
Section 29 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Man living on earnings of prostitution |
Section 30 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Women exercising control over prostitute |
Section 31 |
Sexual Offences Act 1956 |
|
Sexual intercourse with patients |
Section 128 |
Mental Health Act 1959 |
|
Indecent conduct towards young child |
Section 1 |
Indecency with Children Act 1960 |
|
Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the suicide of a child or young person |
Section 2 |
Suicide Act 1961 |
|
Procuring others to commit homosexual acts (by procuring a child to commit an act of buggery with any person, or procuring any person to commit an act of buggery with a child) |
Section 4 |
Sexual Offences Act 1967 |
|
Living on the earnings of male prostitution |
Section 5 |
Sexual Offences Act 1967 |
|
Burglary (by entering a building or part of a building with intent to rape a child) |
Section 9 |
Theft Act 1968 |
|
Supplying or offering to supply a Class A drug to a child, being concerned in the supplying of such a drug to a child, or being concerned in the making to a child of an offer to supply such a drug. |
Section 4 |
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
|
Inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse |
Section 54 |
Criminal Law Act 1977 |
|
Indecent photographs of children |
Section 1 |
Protection of Children Act 1978 |
|
Offence of abduction of a child by parent |
Section 1 |
Child Abduction Act 1984 |
|
Offence of abduction of child by other persons |
Section 2 |
Child Abduction Act 1984 |
|
Possession of indecent photographs of children |
Section 160 |
Criminal Justice Act 1988 |
|
Abduction of Child in Care/ Police Protection... take away/induce away/assist to run away/ keep away |
Section 49 |
Children Act 1989 |
|
Recovery of missing or unlawfully held children |
Section 50 |
Children Act 1989 |
|
Abuse of Trust |
Section 3 |
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 |
|
Traffic in prostitution |
Section 145 |
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 |
|
Rape |
Section 1 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Assault by penetration |
Section 2 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Sexual assault |
Section 3 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent |
Section 4 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Rape of a child under 13 |
Section 5 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Assault of a child under 13 by penetration |
Section 6 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Sexual assault of a child under 13 |
Section 7 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity |
Section 8 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Sexual Activity with a Child |
Section 9 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity |
Section 10 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child |
Section 11 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing a child to watch a sexual act |
Section 12 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Child sex offences committed by a children or young persons |
Section 13 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence |
Section 14 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Meeting a child following sexual grooming etc. |
Section 15 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity with a child |
Section 16 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Abuse of position of trust: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity |
Section 17 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity in the presence of a child |
Section 18 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Abuse of position of trust: causing a child to watch a sexual act |
Section 19 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Sexual activity with a child family member |
Section 25 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Inciting a child family member to engage in sexual activity |
Section 26 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice |
Section 30 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing or inciting a person, with a mental disorder impeding choice, to engage in sexual activity |
Section 31 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder impeding choice |
Section 32 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing a person, with a mental disorder impeding choice, to watch a sexual act |
Section 33 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Inducement, threat or deception to procure sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder |
Section 34 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing a person with a mental disorder to engage in or agree to engage in sexual activity by inducement, threat or deception |
Section 35 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Engaging in sexual activity in the presence, procured by inducement, threat or deception, of a person with a mental disorder |
Section 36 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act by inducement, threat or deception |
Section 37 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Care workers: sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder |
Section 38 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Care workers: causing or inciting sexual activity |
Section 39 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Care workers: sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder |
Section 40 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Care workers: causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act |
Section 41 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Paying for the sexual services of a child |
Section 47 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography |
Section 48 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Controlling a child prostitute or a child involved in pornography |
Section 49 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography |
Section 50 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Causing or inciting prostitution for gain |
Section 52 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Controlling prostitution for gain |
Section 53 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation |
Section 57 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation |
Section 58 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation |
Section 59 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Administering a substance with intent |
Section 61 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence (in a case where the intended offence was an offence against a child) |
Section 62 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence (in a case where the intended offence was an offence against a child) |
Section 63 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Exposure |
Section 66 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Voyeurism |
Section 67 |
Sexual Offences Act 2003 |
|
Trafficking people for exploitation |
Section 4 |
Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004 |
|
Causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult |
Section 5 |
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 |
A reference to an offence in this list includes:
- A reference to an attempt, conspiracy or incitement to commit that offence, and
- A reference to aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of that offence.
Unless stated otherwise, the victim of the offences listed above will be under 18.
Cautions and discharges for the offences listed above will apply.
Last Updated: January 8, 2024
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