XN000022-1997-02-26 — Page 2

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Stiffer penalties for sexual offences proposed

The Government is planning to increase the maximum penalties for certain sexual offences under the Crimes Ordinance to achieve consistency and to better reflect the gravity of these offences, a Government spokesman said today (Wednesday).

The Crimes (Amendment) Bill 1997, to be gazetted on Friday (February 28), proposes that the maximum imprisonment term for a number of sexual offences should be set at 10 years while that for incest should range from 14 years to life imprisonment.

"The 10-year benchmark is based on the current penalty level for indecent assault, which is the most prevalent sexual offence," the spokesman explained.

"At present, a number of sexual offences are considered comparable to indecent assault and yet carry a lower penalty level," he said.

These include "indecent conduct towards child under 16", "abduction of defective from parent or guardian for sexual act", "intercourse with defective", "attempting, or inciting a girl under 16, to commit incest", and a number of offences involving causing, encouraging and living on earnings of prostitution.

As for incest, the current maximum imprisonment term for incest with women under the age of 13 is life imprisonment.

"The authorities felt that extra protection should be offered to women between the ages of 13 and 16.

"Under the Bill, the maximum imprisonment term for incest with women between the ages of 13 and 16 is increased from seven to 20 years and that for incest with women of or above the age of 16 from seven to 14 years," the spokesman said.

The Bill also proposes higher maximum imprisonment terms for several offences related to vice establishments, including keeping a vice establishment and using premises as vice establishments or for prostitution.

"It also proposes to remove the maximum fine levels of $20,000 for these offences to allow the Courts more flexibility in imposing an appropriate fine," the spokesman said.