Sexual Offences Act 2003, s 67(1)–(4)

Voyeurism

The statutory wording, points to prove, defences and penalty — verified against legislation.gov.uk (current revised versions, July 2026).

What the law says

(1) A person commits an offence if— (a) for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, he observes another person doing a private act, and (b) he knows that the other person does not consent to being observed for his sexual gratification. (2) A person commits an offence if— (a) he operates equipment with the intention of enabling another person to observe, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, a third person (B) doing a private act, and (b) he knows that B does not consent to his operating equipment with that intention. (3) A person commits an offence if— (a) he records another person (B) doing a private act, (b) he does so with the intention that he or a third person will, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, look at an image of B doing the act, and (c) he knows that B does not consent to his recording the act with that intention. (4) A person commits an offence if he instals equipment, or constructs or adapts a structure or part of a structure, with the intention of enabling himself or another person to commit an offence under subsection (1).

CJS codes
Official CJS offence index (March 2026)
—Charged under the specific underlying offence code.

Points to prove

  • 1. for purpose of obtaining sexual gratification
  • 2. observed another person
  • 3. doing a private act
  • 4. knowing that the person did not consent to being observed for defendant's sexual gratification
  • 5. operated equipment
  • 6. with the intention of enabling another person
  • 7. for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification
  • 8. to observe a third person doing a private act
  • 9. knowing that person did not consent to defendant operating equipment with that intention
  • 10. recorded another person doing a private act
  • 11. with intention that
  • 12. defendant/a third person
  • 13. would for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification
  • 14. look at an image of that other person doing the act
  • 15. knowing that the other person did not consent to defendant recording the act with that intention
  • 16. installed equipment OR
  • 17. constructed/adapted a structure/part of a structure
  • 18. with intention to enable defendant/third person to commit an offence under s 67(1)

Defences

  • No specific standalone defence was extracted from the source text; consider any applicable statutory defence, reasonable excuse, lawful authority, self-defence, necessity, consent, identification challenge, or other common-law defence on the facts.

Mode of trial & maximum penalty

Either way — Summary: 6/12 months' imprisonment and/or a fine; Indictment: 2 years' imprisonment

Reference only — verify against current legislation and force policy before charge. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Sources

  • Verified dataset — legislation.gov.uk (current revised versions)

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