[2013] UKSC 43

The Criminal Law Amendment Act (Northern Ireland) 1923 s.4 was to be interpreted as not requiring proof of the offender's mens rea as to the age of a girl of whom he had had unlawful carnal knowledge. Historically, the policy approach of protecting younger females by ensuring that no defence of reasonable belief was available had been unswerving.

SC (Lord Neuberger JSC, Lady Hale JSC, Lord Kerr JSC, Lord Wilson JSC, Lord Reed JSC)

26/06/2013