[2005] EWCA Crim 3533

Where a defendant faced counts of indecent assault contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 1956 s.14 but the prosecution were unable to prove whether the offences occurred before May 1, 2004 (when the Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force and repealed s.14 of the 1956 Act) and the secretary of state had failed to make transitional provisions, the court was unable to interpret the legislation in a way that provided a transitional regime and accordingly the judge had been right to rule that the counts could not be left to the jury.

CA (Crim Div) (Rose LJ, Crane J)

15/12/2005