Parliamentary.ai

Overview

This bill amends the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to include the possession of pornographic written material about children as a criminal offence. It clarifies the definition of such material and considers the context in which it's found.

Description

The bill specifically amends Section 62 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. This section currently deals with the possession of prohibited images of children. The amendment extends this section to include "pornographic written material about a child".

Defining "Pornographic Written Material"

The bill defines this as written material that is "grossly offensive, disgusting or pornographic or otherwise of an obscene character." It also specifies that when considering a series of written materials, the context within the series should be taken into account. For example, written material forming part of a non-sexually-arousing narrative might not be considered pornographic even if it would be considered so in isolation.

Government Spending

The bill is unlikely to have a significant direct impact on government spending. The costs would likely be related to law enforcement and prosecution, but no figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

Groups potentially affected include:

• Individuals possessing such material: They face potential criminal prosecution and penalties.
• Law enforcement agencies: They will be responsible for enforcing the new law.
• The legal profession: Lawyers will be involved in cases arising from the new offence.