Richardson and Clark: Sexual Offences – A Practitioner’s Guide is the brand new practical guide to the law relating to sexual offences. It gives practitioners the ability to respond quickly, particularly on arrest and questioning of the accused and during the preparation of the case, and provides in- depth advice for the entire trial process.
In-depth information, designed for quick access
Richardson and Clark: Sexual Offences covers the 70+ different sexual offences currently on the statute books, from obvious offences such as rape or sexual touching, to more arcane matters like voyeurism or breach of a position of trust. It also covers the range of offences relating to images, pornography and prostitution and provides advice on historic offences which may still be charged today.
All this information is predominantly provided in tabular form such as charts and flow diagrams to allow quick access during crucial and sensitively-timed situations.
In separate sections the book also discusses general topics at greater length such as the meaning of ‘consent’, and gives detailed advice on: issues that arise for those dealing with matters at the police station; points of evidence; and specific sentencing matters, such as sex offender notification and Sexual Offence Prevention Orders.
Accessible sections
Each offence is dealt with in individual chapters that follow a consistent structure throughout. Each chapter contains: the elements the prosecution must prove; the potential defences; issues that are likely to arise; jurisdiction; and sentence.
More practical helps is offered in the form of:
- Case preparation checklists
- Draft indictments
- Detailed practical information on matters the lay client will need to be advised about - which is often not contained in ‘legal’ textbooks
- Detailed guidance on the key evidential issues which arise in sex cases
- Analysis of the relatively-new offences of possession of extreme and prohibited images
- Guidance on the analysis of indecent or pornographic images found on computers
- Guidance on Sexual Offence Prevention Orders
Who should read this book?
Being both comprehensive and highly practical, this is a must-have title for solicitors, barristers, police station-accredited representatives, CPS personnel and members of the judiciary.