Section 12
Child grooming
of Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017
Any person who communicates by any means with a child with the intention to commit or to facilitate the commission of any offence under section 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 15A or 15B or any offence
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specified in the Schedule against the child commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years and shall also be liable to whipping.
(2)
In any proceedings under this section, the fact that any offence under section 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 15A or 15B or any offence specified in the Schedule has been committed need not be specified or proven.
(a)
A communicates with Z, a child via social media by pretending to be a teenager and develops a love relationship with Z with the intention of using Z in the making of child sexual abuse material. A never meets Z.
A is guilty of an offence under this section.
(b)
A communicates with Z, a child via e-mail and befriends Z with the intention that A’s friends C and B could rape Z. A never meets Z. A is guilty of an offence under this section.