Criminal Code Act 1995
Section 3
CHAPTER 10 - NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Part 10.6 - Telecommunications Services
Division 474 - Telecommunications offences
Subdivision F - Offences relating to use of carriage service involving sexual activity with, or causing harm to, person under 16
SECTION 474.25A Using a carriage service for sexual activity with person under 16 years of age
Engaging in sexual activity with child using a carriage service
(1)
A person commits an offence if:
(a)
the person engages in sexual activity with another person (the
child
) using a carriage service; and
(b)
the child is under 16 years of age; and
(c)
the person is at least 18 years of age.
Note:
Because of the definition of engage in sexual activity in the Dictionary, this offence covers (for example):
Penalty: Imprisonment for 20 years.
Causing child to engage in sexual activity with another person
(2)
A person (the
defendant
) commits an offence if:
(a)
the defendant engages in conduct in relation to another person (the
child
); and
(b)
that conduct causes the child to engage in sexual activity with another person (the
participant
) using a carriage service; and
(c)
the child is under 16 years of age when the sexual activity is engaged in; and
(d)
the participant is at least 18 years of age when the sexual activity is engaged in.
Note:
Because of the definition of engage in sexual activity in the Dictionary, this offence covers (for example) causing a person under 16:
Penalty: Imprisonment for 20 years.
(3)
The fault element for paragraph (2)(b) is intention.
Defence
-
child present but defendant does not intend to derive gratification
(4)
It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1) or (2) if:
(a)
the conduct constituting the offence consists only of the child being in the presence of a person while sexual activity is engaged in; and
(b)
the defendant proves that he or she did not intend to derive gratification from the presence of the child during that activity.
Note 1:
A defendant bears a legal burden in relation to the matter in this subsection, see section 13.4 .
Note 2:
For other defences relating to this offence, see section 474.29 .
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