Sentencing rules with regards to consent
Suggested by jjones and tagged crime, justice, sentencing. Comment.
The big idea
Scrap the sentencing guidelines which allow this:
Paedophiles who abuse children of 12 or under may receive shorter jail terms if their victims "consent" to sex, according to sentencing rules published this week.
The law currently considers such youngsters incapable of giving consent – so sexual intercourse is automatically classed as rape.
However, judges have now been told that it may be "material in relation to sentence" if the child agreed to intercourse.
Why does this matter?
It is quite obvious that children, particularly those below the age of 12, are unable to give informed consent.