Offences Against the Person Act 1875

The Offences against the Person Act 1875 (38 & 39 Vict. c. 94) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (as it then was). Its purpose was to extend the scope of sexual offences against children.

Offences against the Person Act 1875[1]
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to amend the Law relating to Offences against the Person.
Citation38 & 39 Vict. c. 94
Territorial extent England (including Wales and Berwick) and Ireland[2]
Dates
Royal assent13 August 1875
Commencement13 August 1875[3]
Repealed14 August 1885[4]
Other legislation
Repealed byCriminal Law Amendment Act 1885, s.19 & Sch.
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

Section 2

This section repealed sections 50 and 51 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 with savings.

Section 3 - Abusing a girl under 12

This section replaced section 50 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 (which created a felony in relation only to girls under 10).

When the Act was repealed, it was in turn replaced by section 4 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 (increasing the age to 13).

Section 4 - Abusing a girl between 12 and 13

This section replaced section 51 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 (which created a misdemeanour in relation to girls between 10 and 12).

When the Act was repealed, it was turn replaced by section 5(1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 (changing the age range from 13 to 16).

Section 5

This section provided that the Act was to be construed as though it and the Offences against the Person Act 1861 (as amended by this Act) were one Act. Its effect was that the definition of carnal knowledge provided by section 63 of that Act applied to the offences created by sections 3 and 4 of this Act.

Section 6 - Extent

This section provided that the Act did not extend to Scotland.

See also

References
  1. This short title was given by section 1 of the Act.
  2. This is the effect of section 6 of the Act
  3. The Act came into force on the date that it received royal assent, because no other commencement was specified: Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793
  4. The Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 came into force on the date that it received royal assent, because no other commencement was specified : Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793
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