Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016
2016 asp 22An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision about abusive behaviour; and to make provision about sexual harm including provision about directions to be given to juries in sexual offence cases and provision about orders to prevent future sexual harm.
EnactedThe Bill for this Act of the Scottish Parliament was passed by the Parliament on 22nd March 2016 and received Royal Assent on 28th April 2016
PART 1 Abusive behaviour¶
Abusive behaviour towards partner or ex-partner¶
I91 Aggravation of offence where abuse of partner or ex-partner¶
- “cause” includes contribute to causing (and “causing” is to be construed accordingly),
- “psychological harm” includes fear, alarm or distress.
1A Presumption as to the relationship¶
Disclosure of an intimate photograph or film¶
I62 Disclosing, or threatening to disclose, an intimate photograph or film¶
I103 Interpretation of section 2¶
- “film” means a moving image in any form, whether or not the image has been altered in any way, that was originally captured by making a recording, on any medium, from which a moving image may be produced, and includes a copy of the image,
- “photograph” means a still image in any form, whether or not the image has been altered in any way, that was originally captured by photography, and includes a copy of the image.
I164 Section 2: special provision in relation to providers of information society services¶
Schedule 1 makes special provision in connection with the operation of section 2 in relation to persons providing information society services (as defined in paragraph 4(1) of that schedule).Non-harassment orders¶
I145 Making of non-harassment orders in criminal cases¶
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PART 2 Sexual harm¶
CHAPTER 1 Jury directions relating to sexual offences¶
I126 Jury directions relating to sexual offences¶
In the 1995 Act, after section 288D insert—.
CHAPTER 2 Sexual acts outside Scotland¶
I87 Incitement to commit certain sexual acts elsewhere in the United Kingdom¶
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I138 Commission of certain sexual offences elsewhere in the United Kingdom¶
After section 54 of the 2009 Act, insert—.
I19 Commission of certain sexual offences outside the United Kingdom¶
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CHAPTER 3 Sexual harm prevention orders¶
Meaning of sexual harm¶
I1710 Meaning of sexual harm¶
In this Chapter, “sexual harm”, from a person, means physical or psychological harm caused—Circumstances where sexual harm prevention order may be made¶
I1811 Making of order on dealing with person for offence¶
I1912 Making of order against qualifying offender on application to sheriff¶
- “appropriate date”, in relation to a qualifying offender, means the date or, as the case may be, the first date on which the person was convicted, cautioned or the subject of a finding as mentioned in sections 13, 14 and 15,
- “appropriate sheriff” means—
- a sheriff in whose sheriffdom the person resides,
- a sheriff in whose sheriffdom the person is believed by the chief constable to be,
- a sheriff to whose sheriffdom the person is believed by the chief constable to be intending to come, or
- a sheriff whose sheriffdom includes any place where it is alleged that the person acted in a way giving reasonable cause to believe that it is necessary for a sexual harm prevention order to be made,
- “qualifying offender” means a person to whom section 13, 14 or 15 applies.
I2013 Qualifying offender: conviction etc. in Scotland¶
I2114 Qualifying offender: conviction etc. elsewhere in United Kingdom¶
This section applies to a person if the person has, whether before or after this Chapter comes into force, in England and Wales or Northern Ireland—I2215 Qualifying offender: conviction etc. outside United Kingdom¶
What order does¶
I2316 Content and duration of order¶
I2417 Prohibitions on foreign travel¶
Interaction with notification requirements¶
I2518 Application of notification requirements where order made¶
I2619 Cessation of order: relevant sexual offenders¶
Variation, renewal and discharge¶
I2720 Variation, renewal and discharge¶
Interim orders¶
I2821 Interim orders¶
Appeals¶
I2922 Appeals¶
Requirement to serve order¶
I3023 Requirement for clerk of court to serve order¶
Enforcement¶
I3124 Offence of breaching order¶
Interpretation¶
I3225 Interpretation of Chapter¶
- “vulnerable adult” means a person who is 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,
- “the chief constable” means the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland,
- “child” means a person under 18,
- “interim sexual harm prevention order” means (except in section 21(1) to (3)) an order made under section 21,
- “prohibition on foreign travel” has the meaning given by section 17(2),
- “the public” means the public in the United Kingdom,
- “sexual harm prevention order” means (except in sections 11, 12 and 16(1)) an order made under section 11 or 12.
CHAPTER 4 Sexual risk orders¶
Meaning of harm¶
I3326 Meaning of harm¶
In this Chapter, “harm”, from a person, means physical or psychological harm caused by the person doing an act of a sexual nature.Making of order¶
I3427 Making of order¶
What order does¶
I3528 Content and duration of order¶
I3629 Prohibitions on foreign travel¶
Variation, renewal and discharge¶
I3730 Variation, renewal and discharge¶
Interim orders¶
I3831 Interim orders¶
Appeals¶
I3932 Appeals¶
Requirement to serve order¶
I4033 Requirement for clerk of court to serve order¶
Enforcement¶
I4134 Offence of breaching order¶
I4235 Application of notification requirements on breach of order¶
- “relevant offender” has the meaning given by section 80(2) of the 2003 Act,
- “relevant order” means—
- where the conviction, finding or acquittal by virtue of which this section applies to the person is in respect of a breach of a sexual risk order, that order,
- where the conviction, finding or acquittal by virtue of which this section applies to the person is in respect of an interim sexual risk order—
- any sexual risk order made on the hearing of the application to which the interim order relates, or
- if no such order is made, the interim order.
Interpretation¶
I4336 Interpretation of Chapter¶
In this Chapter––- “vulnerable adult” means a person who is 18 or over whose ability to protect himself or herself from physical or psychological harm is significantly impaired through mental or physical disability or illness, through old age, or otherwise,
- “the chief constable” means the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland,
- “child” means a person under 18,
- “interim sexual risk order” means (except in section 31(1) to (3)) an order made under section 31,
- “prohibition on foreign travel” has the meaning given by section 29(2),
- “the public” means the public in the United Kingdom,
- “sexual risk order” means (except in sections 27 and 28(1)) an order made under section 27.
CHAPTER 5 Equivalent orders elsewhere in United Kingdom¶
I4437 Breach of orders equivalent to orders in Chapters 3 and 4: offence¶
I4538 Breach of certain equivalent orders: application of notification requirements¶
CHAPTER 6 Previous orders¶
I4639 Repeals of provisions as to previous orders¶
I4740 Saving and transitional provision¶
- “existing order” means—
- a sexual offences prevention order under section 104 or 105 of the 2003 Act,
- a foreign travel order under section 114 of the 2003 Act,
- a risk of sexual harm order under section 2 of the 2005 Act,
- an interim sexual offences prevention order under section 109 of the 2003 Act,
- an interim risk of sexual harm order under section 5 of the 2005 Act,
- “old order” means an order made under section 20 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
- a “corresponding new order” means—
- in the case of a sexual offences prevention order, a sexual harm prevention order,
- in the case of a foreign travel order, a sexual harm prevention order containing a prohibition on foreign travel (as defined in section 17(2)),
- in the case of a risk of sexual harm order, a sexual risk order made under section 27,
- in the case of an interim sexual offences prevention order, an interim sexual harm prevention order made under section 21,
- in the case of an interim risk of sexual harm order, an interim sexual risk order made under section 31,
- the “relevant sections of this Act” means—
- in the case of a sexual offences prevention order, sections 19, 20 and 24,
- in the case of a foreign travel order, sections 20 and 24,
- in the case of a risk of sexual harm order, sections 30 and 34,
- in the case of an interim sexual offences prevention order, sections 21(10) to (12) and 24,
- in the case of an interim risk of sexual harm order, sections 31(9) to (11) and 34.
PART 3 General¶
I241 Interpretation¶
In this Act—- “the 1995 Act” means the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995,
- “the 2003 Act” means the Sexual Offences Act 2003,
- “the 2005 Act” means the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005,
- “the 2009 Act” means the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,
- “the 2014 Act” means the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.
42 Ancillary provision¶
I4I4843 Minor and consequential modifications¶
Schedule 2 makes minor and consequential modifications of other enactments.44 Crown application¶
45 Commencement¶
46 Short title¶
The short title of this Act is the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016.SCHEDULE 1 ¶
SECTION 2: SPECIAL PROVISION IN RELATION TO PROVIDERS OF INFORMATION SOCIETY SERVICES
(introduced by section 4)
Exceptions for mere conduits¶
Exception for caching¶
Exception for hosting¶
Interpretation¶
- “information society services”—
- has the meaning given in Article 2(a) of the E-Commerce Directive (which refers to Article 1(2) of Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations), and
- is summarised in recital 17 of the E-Commerce Directive as covering “any service normally provided for remuneration, at a distance, by means of electronic equipment for the processing (including digital compression) and storage of data, and at the individual request of a recipient of a service”,
- “recipient”, in relation to a service, means a person who, for professional ends or otherwise, uses an information society service, in particular for the purposes of seeking information or making it accessible,
- “service provider” means a person providing an information society service.
SCHEDULE 2 ¶
MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL MODIFICATIONS
(introduced by section 43)
Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995¶
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Police Act 1997¶
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Sexual Offences Act 2003¶
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Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005¶
Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007¶
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Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009¶
Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010¶
Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012¶
Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Remedial) (Scotland) Order 2011 (S.S.I. 2011/45)¶
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014¶
Footnotes
- F1Words in s. 37(5)(a) inserted (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 24 para. 311 (with Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2
- I1S. 9 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2
- I2S. 41 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2
- I3Sch. 1 para. 4 in force at 3.7.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/183, reg. 2(c)
- F2Words in s. 1(6)(b) repealed (1.4.2019) by Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (asp 5), s. 15(2), sch. para. 11(2); S.S.I. 2018/387, reg. 2 (with reg. 7)
- I4S. 43 in force at 24.4.2017 for specified purposes by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2
- I5Sch. 1 para. 3 in force at 3.7.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/183, reg. 2(c)
- I6S. 2 in force at 3.7.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/183, reg. 2(a)
- I7Sch. 1 para. 2 in force at 3.7.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/183, reg. 2(c)
- I8S. 7 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2
- I9S. 1 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I10S. 3 in force at 3.7.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/183, reg. 2(b)
- I11Sch. 1 para. 1 in force at 3.7.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/183, reg. 2(c)
- I12S. 6 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2 (with reg. 5)
- I13S. 8 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2
- I14S. 5 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2 (with reg. 4)
- I15Sch. 2 para. 6 in force at 24.4.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/93, reg. 2
- I16S. 4 in force at 3.7.2017 by S.S.I. 2017/183, reg. 2(c)
- F3S. 1A inserted (1.4.2019) by Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (asp 5), s. 15(2), sch. para. 11(3); S.S.I. 2018/387, reg. 2 (with reg. 7)
- I17S. 10 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I18S. 11 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I19S. 12 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I20S. 13 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I21S. 14 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I22S. 15 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I23S. 16 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I24S. 17 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I25S. 18 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I26S. 19 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I27S. 20 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I28S. 21 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I29S. 22 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I30S. 23 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I31S. 24 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I32S. 25 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I33S. 26 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I34S. 27 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I35S. 28 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I36S. 29 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I37S. 30 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I38S. 31 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I39S. 32 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I40S. 33 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I41S. 34 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I42S. 35 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I43S. 36 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I44S. 37 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I45S. 38 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I46S. 39 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I47S. 40 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I48S. 43 in force at 31.3.2023 in so far as not already in force by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I49Sch. 2 para. 1 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with regs. 3, 4(1))
- I50Sch. 2 para. 2 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with regs. 3, 4(2))
- I51Sch. 2 para. 3 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- I52Sch. 2 para. 4 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with regs. 3, 4(3))
- I53Sch. 2 para. 5 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with regs. 3, 4(4))
- I54Sch. 2 para. 7 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with regs. 3, 4(5))
- I55Sch. 2 para. 8 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with regs. 3, 4(6))
- I56Sch. 2 para. 9 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with regs. 3, 4(7))
- I57Sch. 2 para. 10 in force at 31.3.2023 by S.S.I. 2023/51, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)
- F4S. 37(1A) inserted (31.3.2023) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 177(7)(a), 208(1); S.I. 2023/387, reg. 3(b)
- F5Words in s. 37(2) inserted (31.3.2023) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 177(7)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2023/387, reg. 3(b)
- F6Words in s. 37(3) inserted (31.3.2023) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 177(7)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2023/387, reg. 3(b)
- F7Words in s. 37(4) inserted (31.3.2023) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 177(7)(c), 208(1); S.I. 2023/387, reg. 3(b)