# The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, Article 57: Articles 51 to : sexual relationships which pre-date care relationships


(1) Conduct by a person (A) which would otherwise be an offence under any of Articles 51 to 54 against another person (B) is not an offence under that Article if, immediately before A became involved in B’s care in a way that falls within Article 55, a sexual relationship existed between A and B.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply if at that time sexual intercourse between A and B would have been unlawful.
(3) In proceedings for an offence under any of Articles to 54 it is for the defendant to prove that such a relationship existed at that time.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2008/9780110800936/article/57 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/draft-sexual-offences-northern-ireland-order-2008/article-57
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.