The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 (c 82) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It made provision in relation to rape and related offences. Except for subsections (1) and (2) and (4) and (6) of section 7, the whole Act is repealed. Section 7(2) now provides the definition of the expression "a rape offence" in relation to court martial proceedings. The other remaining provisions are purely supplemental.
In England and Wales and Northern Ireland, from 1 September 2001section 57 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001 (as read with sections 56, 63(2) and 78 of that Act) provides that any reference in this Act to a specific substantive offence includes an offence under section 51 involving conduct constituting that offence, and, as if any reference in those provisions to a specific ancillary offence includes that ancillary offence in relation to an offence under section 51 involving conduct constituting the substantive offence in question, and an offence under section 52 involving conduct constituting that ancillary offence in relation to an act to which that section applies involving conduct constituting the substantive offence in question.
Section 1 - Meaning of "rape" etc
Subsection (1) provided a definition of the word "rape". It was repealed by section 168(3) of, and Schedule 11 to, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
Subsection (2) was amended by section 168(2) of, and Schedule 10 to, that Act. It was repealed by paragraph 20(2) of Schedule 6 to, and Schedule 7 to, the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Section 2 - Restrictions on evidence at trials for rape etc
This section was amended by section 168(2) of, and paragraphs 35(1) and (3) of Schedule 10 to, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
This section was repealed on 4 December 2000 by section 67(3) of, and Schedule 6 to, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (as read with paragraphs 3(3) and 5(2) of Schedule 7).
Section 3 - Application of section 2 to committal proceedings, courts–martial and summary trials This section was amended by section 47 of, and paragraph 23 of Schedule 1 to, the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996. The amended text applied only in relation to alleged offences into which no criminal investigation had begun before 1 April 1997.
This section was repealed on 4 December 2000 by section 67(3) of, and Schedule 6 to, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (as read with paragraphs 3(3) and 5(2) of Schedule 7).
Section 4 – Anonymity of complainants in rape etc cases
This section was amended by Schedule 5 to the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984, section 158 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, Schedule 20 to the Broadcasting Act 1990, and sections 168(1) and (2) of, and paragraph 13 of Schedule 9 to, and paragraph 36 of Schedule 10 to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
It was repealed in part by Schedule 16 to the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and Schedule 21 to the Broadcasting Act 1990.
This section was repealed by section 67(3) of, and Schedule 6 to, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.
Broader provisions for the anonymity of complainants in sexual offence cases were established by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992.
Sections 4(1) and (1A)
Subsections (1) and (1A) were substituted for subsection (1) by section 158 of, and paragraph 16 of Schedule 8 to, the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
The words "or man" in both places and the words "or him" were inserted in subsection (1)(a) on 3 November 1994 by section 168(2) of, and paragraph 36(2)(a)(i)and (iii) of Schedule 10 to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
The words "name nor the address of the woman or man", "that person’s lifetime" and "identify that person" in subsection (1)(a) were substituted on 3 November 1994 by section 168(2) of, and paragraph 36(2)(a)(ii), (iv) and (v) of Schedule 10 to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
The words "included in a relevant programme for reception" in subsection (1)(a)(ii) and (b)(ii) and the words "inclusion in a relevant programme" in subsection (1)(b) were substituted by section 203(1) of, and paragraph 26(1)(a) of Schedule 20 to, the Broadcasting Act 1990.
The words "or man" were inserted in subsection (1)(b) on 3 November 1994 by section 168(2) of, and paragraph 36(2)(b)(i) of Schedule 10 to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
The words "that person’s lifetime" in subsection 1(b) were substituted on 3 November 1994 by section 168(2) of, and paragraph 36(2)(b)(ii) of Schedule 10 to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
Section 4(3)