Indecent Assault
If you are facing allegations of indecent assault, it is crucial to seek immediate specialist legal advice. DPP Law’s experienced solicitors can provide confidential guidance and a robust defence in these serious cases.
Indecent Assault is now a historic offence under the Sexual Offences Act 1956. This offence was replaced by the charge of Sexual Assault under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
This means that while the offence is no longer prosecuted for incidents occurring after May 2004, it may still be relevant for historical allegations.
If you are facing an allegation of Indecent Assault relating to an event that occurred before 2004, or if you have been wrongly advised on the modern offence, you need expert legal help.
DPP Law can come to your assistance if you have been accused of any form of Indecent Assault. Our experienced team will work closely with you to build your defence, re-examine evidence and witness testimony, and strive to ensure that the law is correctly upheld on your behalf.
What was Indecent Assault?
Indecent assault was generally defined as “unwanted sexual contact” but did not extend to rape. Anything physical that could be construed in a sexual way and has been undertaken without the victim’s consent could be considered indecent assault.
To accuse you of indecent assault, an alleged victim may claim that you:
- Kissed them without consent
- Touched or manhandled a part of their body in a sexual manner without consent
- Interacted with them physically in any other way to which they did not consent
- Assaulted them by penetration with a foreign object
Sentence for Indecent Assault (Historical)
The maximum indecent assault sentence was ten years in prison, although if the assault was against a victim under 13 then this increased to fourteen years custody. Assault by penetration was potentially punishable by a life sentence.
Defending Historic Allegations
If you have been accused of indecent assault and are able to provide evidence (either through audio or video recordings including CCTV footage, saved text messages, emails or any other means) that your accuser did in fact consent to your actions, or that the actions never truly occurred, your defence is likely to be strong.
Important Note on Modern Law
For any incident occurring after May 2004, the correct and current charge is Sexual Assault.
For comprehensive information on what is defined as Sexual Assault, the penalties associated with the offence and possible defences please visit our dedicated page.
Why Choose DPP Law?
When you choose DPP Law for legal assistance and representation, you will be assured:
- Guaranteed confidentiality at all times
- A comprehensive check of forensics and evidence records
- Sensitive expert advice – first consultation FREE
A knowledgeable and experienced sexual offences defence solicitor will endeavour to see you completely absolved of any allegations if you’ve been accused of indecent assault. Get in touch with DPP Law’s team of legal experts today to discuss your case.
FAQs
“Indecent assault” is an older term used before the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Modern cases are charged as “sexual assault.” Both involve non-consensual sexual touching, but indecent assault applies to allegations from before 2004.
They must show that the alleged touching occurred, that it was sexual or indecent by the standards of the time, and that it happened without consent. For historic cases, the prosecution must also show the allegation fits the law that applied at the date of the incident.
Yes. There is no time limit for prosecuting sexual offences in the UK, so historic allegations can still be investigated and charged many years later.
Penalties vary depending on when the offence is said to have taken place and the specific circumstances. They can include imprisonment, placement on the sex offenders register, restraining orders, and long-term restrictions.
Defences often involve challenging the accuracy, reliability, or credibility of the allegation, showing that events could not have happened as described, raising consent (where legally applicable), or highlighting inconsistencies caused by long delays.
Helpful evidence may include witness accounts, messages or correspondence, timeline or alibi information, and anything that contradicts or undermines the allegation. In historic cases, the focus is often on credibility and whether the events could realistically have occurred as claimed.