OpenLegislation

Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

2015 nia 2 · Enacted 13 January 2015 · Extends to Northern Ireland

Not fully up to date. 8 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 7 April 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 7excludedMental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 s. 170(1)s. 170(2)(d)
s. 18restrictedIllegal Migration Act 2023 s. 25(2)
s. 18(10A)insertedIllegal Migration Act 2023 s. 28(5)
Sch. 2 para. 3(6)word substitutedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 35(a)(i)
Sch. 2 para. 3(6)word insertedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 35(a)(ii)
Sch. 2 para. 3(8)words substitutedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 35(b)
Sch. 2 para. 3(9)words substitutedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 35(c)
Sch. 4 para. 13-15omittedCrime and Policing Act 2026 Sch. 22 para. 36

An Act to make provision about human trafficking, slavery and other forms of exploitation, including measures to prevent and combat such exploitation and to provide support for victims of such exploitation; and for connected purposes.

[13th January 2015]

BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as follows:

Contents

  1. Part 1: SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING OFFENCES
  2. The offences
  3. 1Slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour
  4. 2Human trafficking
  5. 3Meaning of exploitation for purposes of section 2
  6. 4Committing offence with intent to commit offence under section 1 or 2
  7. Sentencing for offences under section 1 or 2
  8. 5Offences to be serious offences for purposes of sentencing
  9. 6Aggravating factors
  10. 7Minimum sentence for offence under section 1 or 2
  11. Orders that may be made on conviction of offence under section 1 or 2
  12. 8Confiscation of assets
  13. 9Detention and forfeiture of certain vehicles, ships and aircraft
  14. 10Slavery and trafficking reparation orders
  15. Prevention, enforcement, etc.
  16. 11Slavery and trafficking prevention orders
  17. 12Strategy on offences under sections 1 and 2
  18. 13Duty to notify National Crime Agency about suspected victims of offences under section 1 or 2 Not yet in force
  19. 14Investigation and prosecution of offences under section 1 or 2
  20. Part 2: OTHER EXPLOITATION OFFENCES
  21. Paying for sexual services of a person
  22. 15Paying for sexual services of a person
  23. Offence of forced marriage
  24. 16Offence of forced marriage
  25. Part 3: ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT
  26. 17Interpretation of this Part
  27. 18Assistance and support pending determination by competent authority
  28. 19Assistance and support for exiting prostitution
  29. 20Guidance as to compensation for victims
  30. 21Independent guardian
  31. Part 4: PROTECTION OF SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS
  32. 22Defence for slavery and trafficking victims in relation to certain offences
  33. 23Protection of slavery and trafficking victims in criminal investigations
  34. 24Special measures: amendments to the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999
  35. Part 4A: Protection of victims of forced marriage
  36. 24AAnonymity of victims of forced marriage
  37. Part 5: SUPPLEMENTARY
  38. 25Interpretation of this Act
  39. 26Amendments, repeals and consequential provision
  40. 27Orders and regulations
  41. 28Short title and commencement
  42. Schedule 1: DETENTION AND FORFEITURE OF CERTAIN VEHICLES, SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT
  43. Forfeiture on conviction of offence under section 1 or 2
  44. 1Paragraph 1
  45. Detention of certain vehicles, ships and aircraft
  46. 2Paragraph 2
  47. Interpretation
  48. 3Paragraph 3
  49. Schedule 2: SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING REPARATION ORDERS
  50. Power to make slavery and trafficking reparation order
  51. 1Paragraph 1
  52. Effect of slavery and trafficking reparation order
  53. 2Paragraph 2
  54. Supplementary
  55. 3Paragraph 3
  56. Schedule 3: SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING PREVENTION ORDERS
  57. Part 1: MAKING AND EFFECT OF SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING PREVENTION ORDERS
  58. Slavery and trafficking prevention orders on dealing with defendant
  59. 1Paragraph 1
  60. Slavery and trafficking prevention orders on application
  61. 2Paragraph 2
  62. Meaning of “relevant offender”
  63. 3Paragraph 3
  64. Effect of slavery and trafficking prevention orders
  65. 4Paragraph 4
  66. Prohibitions on foreign travel
  67. 5Paragraph 5
  68. Variation, renewal and discharge
  69. 6Paragraph 6
  70. Interim slavery and trafficking prevention orders
  71. 7Paragraph 7
  72. Appeals
  73. 8Paragraph 8
  74. Part 2: NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
  75. Offender subject to notification requirements
  76. 9Paragraph 9
  77. Initial notification
  78. 10Paragraph 10
  79. Notification of changes
  80. 11Paragraph 11
  81. Periodic notification
  82. 12Paragraph 12
  83. Absence from notified residence
  84. 13Paragraph 13
  85. Travel outside the United Kingdom
  86. 14Paragraph 14
  87. Method of notification and related matters
  88. 15Paragraph 15
  89. Part 3: SUPPLEMENTARY
  90. Offences
  91. 16Paragraph 16
  92. Cross-border enforcement within UK
  93. 17Paragraph 17
  94. Supply of information to relevant Northern Ireland departments, Secretary of State, etc.
  95. 18Paragraph 18
  96. Supply of information by relevant Northern Ireland departments, Secretary of State, etc.
  97. 19Paragraph 19
  98. Information about release or transfer of offender
  99. 20Paragraph 20
  100. Power of entry and search of offender's home address
  101. 21Paragraph 21
  102. Guidance
  103. 22Paragraph 22
  104. Interpretation of this Schedule
  105. 23Paragraph 23
  106. Schedule 3A: Anonymity of victims of forced marriage
  107. Prohibition on the identification of victims in publications
  108. 1Paragraph 1
  109. Penalty for breaching prohibition imposed by paragraph 1(2)
  110. 2Paragraph 2
  111. Offence under paragraph 2: defences
  112. 3Paragraph 3
  113. Special rules for providers of information society services
  114. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  115. 5Paragraph 5
  116. 6Paragraph 6
  117. 7Paragraph 7
  118. 8Paragraph 8
  119. Interpretation
  120. 9Paragraph 9
  121. Schedule 4: MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
  122. Part 1: AMENDMENTS RELATING TO OFFENCES UNDER SECTION 1 OR 2
  123. The Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (c. 34)
  124. 1Paragraph 1
  125. The Immigration Act 1971 (c. 77)
  126. 2Paragraph 2
  127. The Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (NI 12)
  128. 3Paragraph 3
  129. The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 (c. 3)
  130. 4Paragraph 4
  131. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42)
  132. 5Paragraph 5
  133. The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 (c. 19)
  134. 6Paragraph 6
  135. The Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27)
  136. 7Paragraph 7
  137. The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 (NI 2)
  138. 8Paragraph 8
  139. Part 2: AMENDMENTS RELATING TO SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING REPARATION ORDERS
  140. The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 (NI 15)
  141. 9Paragraph 9
  142. The Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (NI 12)
  143. 10Paragraph 10
  144. The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (NI 24)
  145. 11Paragraph 11
  146. 12Paragraph 12
  147. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (c. 29)
  148. 13Paragraph 13
  149. 14Paragraph 14
  150. 15Paragraph 15
  151. 16Paragraph 16
  152. 17Paragraph 17
  153. The Recovery of Health Service Charges (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (NI 13)
  154. 18Paragraph 18
  155. The Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2012 (c. 24)
  156. 19Paragraph 19
  157. Schedule 5REPEALS