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Deepfakes to Deletion Orders: Tackling technology enabled sexual offending in the Crime and Policing Act 2026
Sophie Tang
Sadly, the uncertain period of "lockdown" is likely to place a considerable strain on many relationships. The inability of family members to leave the house, the fear of unemployment and consequent financial pressures which arise from “lockdown”, have the potential to cause difficult times for many relationships. Prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, the police and the CPS pursued a proactive approach towards domestic abuse, which often resulted in the partner who was the recipient of the complaint being arrested and/or prosecuted.
Last week saw the first steps towards a national lockdown when on the night of Friday 20 March the Prime Minister “told” certain businesses to close. What powers does the government have to do this? The answer is to be found here in the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, which contains broad but not unlimited powers to make regulations to protect health.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced businesses all over the world to adapt to a new way of working, practically overnight. The criminal courts are no different and as an essential public service it is imperative that technology is utilised to ensure that they can continue to function in the midst of the crisis. The emergency Coronavirus Bill (‘the Bill’) is set to introduce a number of new measures to try and keep the criminal courts running in these unprecedented times.
On 19 March 2020, Crimeline published the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s strategic overview and high-level guidance for forces concerning custody function during the COVID 19 pandemic (Operation Talla). The document is essential reading and should be considered in conjunction with the most relevant provisions of the PACE Codes of Practice. The NPCC’s recognises the diverse nature of custody estates and notes that Forces should develop local policies. However, the document should provide the framework to ensure a consistency of standards.
There are countless instances of LGBT+ individuals being stigmatised and discriminated against throughout history, including in criminal law. In particular, a number of sexual acts between men have historically been criminalised. This homophobic legislation was compounded by an insidious approach to investigations, which targeted men who were believed to be gay, leading to a large number of men being criminalised, with all of the consequences that a conviction brings, for behaviour that should never have been illegal in the first place.
Sophie Tang
Louise Hodges
Jemma Garside
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