Govt consultation on obscenity

[LauraMipsum]

There's a live consultation here on obscenity: www.cps.gov.uk/consultation/public-consultation-obscene-publications-prosecution-guidance

It looks like there is to be more of a focus on the intended audience, rather than the inherent obscenity of the article. I'd be really interested in the MN collective wisdom on this - I'm not sure it's going to change anything, and I'm not sure that the concept of obscenity is particularly useful given the number of alternative offences that can be used.

This is an interesting question and not one I am too familiar with. Do you have any idea of what the context of why this consultation is happening now?

In short, there may be a need for new offences directed at the consumers of obscene material and at UK residents operating in the Deep Web.

There are already offences covering publication, supplying and distribution - but they are outdated and haven't kept up with the Dark Side.

CPs will already have a bank of cases where prosecutions for obscenity have failed on a technicality or because there was no offence to cover the situation. The police will have a bank of cases where they had no powers to make arrests or seize material.

Well that's my understanding anyway.

Do you have any idea of what the context of why this consultation is happening now?

None at all! There was the fisting trial but that was quite some time ago.

That's interesting Pam thanks. I'm struggling to think of anything that could be covered by obscenity which isn't already covered by something else - but that is probably me lacking in obscene imagination...