Sexual Assault By Touching (13 or over)
The offence of Sexual Assault By Touching is a serious and criminal offence. If you are accused of sexual assault, the Prosecution must prove that:
- You have intentionally touched another person,
- That the touching is sexual,
- That the other person did not consent to you touching them, and
- You did not reasonably believe that the other person was consenting.
It is an either-way offence. This means that it can be heard by either the Magistrates Court or the Crown Court. Because of the complex nature of the evidence and the likely sentence, if you are convicted, these cases virtually always are heard by the Crown Court. The maximum that can be imposed for this offence is 10 years imprisonment if the victim is aged 13 or over.
