 |
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Dogging And The Law:
This is how the current law stands at present regarding sex in public places. There are laws that protect members of the public from being unwilling witnesses to sexual behaviour or from being harassed or intimidated in their use of public spaces or facilities. So sex in public toilets, parks or places where other passers-by may be offended is illegal. If you are in a private place or in a location where you wouldn't expect to be spied upon, then you're probably okay. Prosecution relies on a third party onlooker getting upset and reporting you. So, if you want sex under the stars, make sure you pick a secluded spot.
2003 Sex Act, Section 66 "Exposure".
(1) A person commits an offence if :-
(a) he intentionally exposes his genitals, and
(b) he intends that someone will see them and be caused alarm or distress.
(2) 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 not exceeding the statutory maximum or both;
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.
2003 Sex Act, Section 67 "Voyeurism".
(1) A person commits an offence if :-
(a) for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, he observes another person doing a private act, and
(b) he knows that the other person does not consent to being observed for his sexual gratification.
(2) A person commits an offence if :-
(a) he operates equipment with the intention of enabling another person to observe, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, a third person (B) doing a private act, and
(b) he knows that B does not consent to his operating equipment with that intention.
(3) A person commits an offence if :-
(a) he records another person (B) doing a private act,
(b) he does so with the intention that he or a third person will, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, look at an image of B doing the act, and
(c) he knows that B does not consent to his recording the act with that intention.
(4) A person commits an offence if he installs equipment, or constructs or adapts a structure or part of a structure, with the intention of enabling himself or another person to commit an offence under subsection (1).
(5) 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 not exceeding the statutory maximum or both;
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.
So, in plain English the two main points to consider are:
Under section 66, the issue is intent to cause distress or alarm, so as long as you take sensible measures to not be viewed by innocent by-standers like choosing remote areas for your meetings and preferably late at night then IN THEORY you are making no malicious intent to cause distress or alarm.
Under section 67, the important thing is to make certain you have received an obvious invitation to watch people dogging, it's all about consent, so as long as you aren't deliberately sneaking up on 'non-dogging' courting couples who had no intention of being watched by anyone then IN THEORY you should be okay.
Please note that these laws apply to the UK only and that this information is published only as a brief guideline and shouldn't be relied upon as any kind of defense. |
