Dogging and the Law!

Due to the amount of people who are now partaking in the dogging culture, I thought it would be a good idea to put together a very basic guide as to the legal issues surrounding it.

What I would hasten to add, is that I am not a legal brain, I have simply looked at the various documents that relate to 'sexual activity in public places' and used common sense, so please don't find yourself quoting this site if you've been arrested for being naughty!!

There are a number of legal documents that apply to sexual activity in public, but the newest one, and the main one to be aware of is the 2003 Sex Act. This act originally made sex in public view or in a car a prosecutable offence, due to the uproar that followed the bill was rewritten.

The sections of the 2003 Sex Act to pay attention to for doggers are Section 66 Exposure and Section 67 Voyeurism.

2003 Sex Act - Section 66 : Exposure

(1) An offence is committed if:
(a) he intentionally exposes his genitals, and
(b) he intends that someone will see them and be caused alarm or distress.

(2) If found guilty of an offence under this section you are liable to:
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both;
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

2003 Sex Act - Section 67 : Voyeurism

(1) An offence is committed if:
(a) for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, he observes another person doing a private act, and
(b) he knows that the other person does not consent to being observed for his sexual gratification.

(2) An offence is committed if:
(a) he operates equipment with the intention of enabling another person to observe, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, a third person (B) doing a private act, and
(b) he knows that B does not consent to his operating equipment with that intention.

(3) An offence is committed if:
(a) he records another person (B) doing a private act,
(b) he does so with the intention that he or a third person will, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, look at an image of B doing the act, and
(c) he knows that B does not consent to his recording the act with that intention.

(4) An offence is committed if:
(a) he installs equipment, or constructs or adapts a structure or part of a structure, with the intention of enabling himself or another person to commit an offence under subsection (1).

(5) If guilty of an offence under this section you are liable to:
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both;
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

There is no clear cut answer to the question 'is dogging legal or not?', all I can suggest is that you read the articles that cover it and make your own decisions.

As always, take care and have fun

Sally
xxxx