Age Of Consent – Almost Random Question!

[anaxcrosswords]

Really sorry if this sounds distasteful, but I’m asking purely as a matter of interest and it’s come about because of a question I was asked yesterday. A female friend (just a friend) was talking about past relationships and asked me which of mine were significantly more important than others. The only ones I mentioned started from when I was about 30.
This morning I was thinking about the first relationship I had that involved sex. That would have been when I was 17 and it involved a girl who was 15 at the time we decided to become an item. We’d known each other for a year or so as people who happened to hang around in the same group. The relationship didn’t last, although she was 16 by the time we split up, and while she was still 15 we had no intention of having penetrative sex (and, as it happened, we never did). However, while she was still 15 there was at least one occasion on which we both had oral sex.
So, although it doesn’t matter a jot now, it has just made me wonder what the law is; does it preclude ANY type of sexual activity, or just penetrative sex?

[Buenchico]

It's still an offence. If the offender is over 18 the maximum sentence is 14 years imprisonment. [See Sections 9(2) & 9(3)]. If the offender is under 18 years the maximum sentence is 5 years imprisonment. [See Section 13]:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/part/1/crossheading/child-sex-offences
(Different legislation would have applied at the time you refer to but the act was still illegal).

[DJHawkes]

but someone would have had to complain to the police, the parents of the 15 year old or the 15 year old herself

[woofgang]

logically it would have to cover everything since it is designed to protect children from their birth.

[AlwaysConfused]

I think it is amazing that at the age of 16 we allow a child to give birth and raise a child, but do not trust them to drive a car until they are 17 or drink alcohol or smoke a cigarette until they are 18.

Sorry, a little off topic but I do not quite understand the logic!

[EDDIE51]

Chris From your link . Do I understand from your link that oral, anal or vaginal sex is illegal for under 16s but a 'hand job' is ok?

[anaxcrosswords]

Something quite interesting about that link, btw, is the constant reference to 'he'.
Sexual equality, eh?

[hc4361]

That link applies only to the perpetrator being over 18 so wouldn't apply at all to the OP.

[hc4361]

Sorry, I am guilty of not reading properly

[hc4361]

S.9(1) would apply to masturbation, Eddie

[Peter Pedant]

.

Depending on your age, you may have come under the Sexual Offences Act 1957 now of blessed memory,
and there is a statutory defence (or there was ...) that if you the fella is under 24 and the girl over 15 (which you will notice is the case you describe) then you could plead that you didnt know (she was under the age of consent)

This defence meant you automatically pleaded guilty to indecent assault. oops

Indecent assault (1957 and prior) has now been replaced by the 2004 Act and Sexual Assault. Same thing different tariff.
Under the 2004 Act you can 'do' it abroad and still get screwed in this country. [ yeah yeah I know big arguments about availability of witnesses and joosteece and so on ] .