Section 24 Communicating indecently with a young child etc.

(1)

If a person (“A”), intentionally and for a purpose mentioned in subsection (3)—

(a)

sends, by whatever means, a sexual written communication to, or

(b)

directs, by whatever means, a sexual verbal communication at,

a child (“B”) who has not attained the age of 13 years, then A commits an offence, to be known as the offence of communicating indecently with a young child.

(2)

If, in circumstances other than are as mentioned in subsection (1), a person (“A”), intentionally and for a purpose mentioned in subsection (3) causes a child (“B”) who has not attained the age of 13 years to see or hear, by whatever means, a sexual written communication or sexual verbal communication, then A commits an offence, to be known as the offence of causing a young child to see or hear an indecent communication.

(3)

The purposes are—

(a)

obtaining sexual gratification,

(b)

humiliating, distressing or alarming B.

(4)

In this section—

“written communication” means a communication in whatever written form, and without prejudice to that generality includes a communication which comprises writings of a person other than A (as for example a passage in a book or magazine), and
“verbal communication” means a communication in whatever verbal form, and without prejudice to that generality includes—
1. (a)
  a communication which comprises sounds of sexual activity (whether actual or simulated), and
2. (b)
  a communication by means of sign language.