Sexual Allegations | Sexual Offence Defence

Our lawyers appreciate that a sexual offence allegation can have damaging repercussions for you and your reputation. It can also lead to issues with your career and in some circumstances your liberty. Our solicitors have experience in representing professionals for a range of sexual offences such as rape, indecent assault and revenge porn cases.

If you have been asked to attend a Voluntary Police Station Interview or have recently been charged with a sexual offence, it is important to secure specialist legal representation as soon as possible. Our lawyers fully understand the sensitivity in cases that involve a sexual allegation. If you would like to know how our lawyers are able to assist and the cost of legal representation, please call us on 0330 818 9847 or complete our Contact Form.

What is a Sexual Offence?

The term known as ‘sexual offences’ is a general term. It includes and covers a range of criminal offences, such as rape, sexual assault and the possession and distribution of indecent images. If you have been contacted by the Police, they will usually explain the specific offence or allegation they wish to speak with you about. Alternatively if you have been charged the specific offence or you are facing a prosecution for will be detailed on your charge sheet.

What is Consent in a sexual offence?

Consent is the agreement to any sexual experience and if this is the issue within the prosecution, for it to be successful it is necessary to show that the defendant reasonably believed that consent had been given. In certain offences, consent does not qualify as a defence such as sexual offences involving children.

Attending a Voluntary Police Interview

In certain types of cases, when the Police are investigating a sexual complaint, they may contact the suspect and ask them to attend the local Police Station for a ‘Voluntary PACE Interview Under Caution’.

The advantage of arranging a voluntary police Interview is the suspect is not under arrest and the interview is usually arranged to take place in the form of a pre-agreed appointment, which is more convenient for the suspect and the police officer investigating the allegation.

If you have been contacted by the police to an interview, you should be aware that you are attending as a suspect in a criminal investigation, and it is not ‘a quick chat’. So that your rights and interests are protected at the interview, you should give serious consideration to appointing a lawyer as soon as possible so that you receive the right legal advice before, and during the interview.

If you decide not to co-operate or attend the voluntary police interview, the likelihood is that you will be arrested by the police.

The main types of Sexual Offences

Sexual Assault: This offence is committed when a person is coerced or physically forced to engage against their will, or when a person, male or female, touches another person sexually without their consent. Touching can be done with any part of the body or with an object.

Sexual Assault by Penetration: Sexual penetration is when a person (male or female) penetrates the vagina or anus of another person with any part of their body or an object without that person’s consent.

Rape: This offence is committed when a person uses their penis without consent to penetrate the vagina, mouth, or anus of another person.

Disclosing Private Sexual Images Without Consent (revenge pornography): This relates to private sexual photographs and films of a person that have been disclosed without the consent of an individual who appears in them, with intent to cause that individual distress. Such images may be uploaded onto the internet, often by a person’s ex-partner, to cause them distress, humiliation or embarrassment.