Section 70 Sexual activity with a corpseF1F2
A person commits an offence if—
the person intentionally performs an act of touching (with a part of their body or anything else),
what is touched is a part of the body of a dead person,
the person knows that, or is reckless as to whether, that is what is touched, and
the touching is sexual.
A person who commits an offence under this section is liable—
on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court or a fine (or both);
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding—
if the touching involved penetration of a part of the body mentioned in subsection (1)(b), 7 years;
otherwise, 5 years.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Ss. 66-72 repealed (N.I.) (2.2.2009) by The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1769 (N.I. 2)), arts. 1, 78(e), Sch. 3 (with Sch. 2 para. 1) S.R. 2008/510, art. 2
- F2
S. 70 substituted (E.W.) (29.9.2026) by Crime and Policing Act 2026 (c. 20), ss. 115(1), 255(1); S.I. 2026/960, reg. 3(a)