May 18, 2021
Criminals who name rape victims online could be jailed for up to two years under plans being considered by justice secretary Robert Buckland, HuffPost UK understands.  
Exclusive: Criminals Who Name Rape Victims Online Could Face Two Years In Jail
Anyone who alleges a sex offence has the legal right to lifelong anonymity in the UK.
Those who reveal their identity breach the Sex Offences Act, and can be fined up to £5,000. 
Campaigners say the law on anonymity, last updated in 1992, is out of date in the age of Social Media, when a complainant’s identity can become viral online in a matter of minutes. 
But ministers believe the law should be tougher and are looking at plans to match the penalty for naming an alleged sex offence victim with the two-year maximum for contempt of court. 
Buckland is weighing up legal advice but is expected to amend the police and Crime Sentencing Bill. 
A source close to the justice secretary told HuffPost UK: “It doesn’t seem like judges have sufficient sentencing powers in this area.
“We need to consider how this offence interacts with other similar offences such as contempt of court but ultimately we think judges should have the power to send people who name victims of sexual offences to jail.” 
Under the plan being considered, magistrates would have powers to issue fines and jail sentences of up to six months. 
And, in the most serious cases, they would have the discretion to send the case to a judge at crown court, who can jail an individual for up to two years. 
The news comes after Buckland was challenged by shadow justice secretary David Lammy in the Commons over the case of “misogynist” Phillip Leece. 
Leece was jailed for 16 years for rape but was fined just £120 for naming his victim on Facebook.  Lammy said: “In 2019, Phillip Leece viciously raped a woman on her way home from a night out. She was 26 and soon to be married. 
“Adding insult to injury, he published the name of his victim online and said she was too ‘fat and disgusting’ to rape. 
“For this, he received a pathetic £120 fine. 
“If he won’t commit to implementing Labour’s whole bill on ending violence against Women will he at least agree to implement Labour’s proposals for tougher sentences for those who name and shame victims of sexual offences.”
Buckland replied that Lammy was “right to raise that distressing case” and that he regarded the naming of victims “unlawful and criminal”. 
He told MPs: “Indeed, we are already making preparations to see what can be done to improve and strengthen the law in this area. 
“Because make no mistake, the naming of victims of sexual offences and indeed other types of offending as well, where anonymity is an essential part of the process, is not just wrong it is criminal and we will do whatever it takes to help stamp it out.” 
Labour this week published its own strategy to end violence against women and girls and accused government of failing to protect victims. 
It follows anger from women’s safety campaigners in the wake of the kidnap and killing of 33-year-old Sarah Everard in March. 
Lammy added: “It is a disgrace that those who break the law by publicly naming and shaming victims of Sexual Assault are being let off the hook with minuscule fines.
“Social media has made it easier for offenders to cause further trauma for victims by publishing their names online. Legislation needs to catch up with the times.” 
Victims commissioner Vera Baird has also called for action after the Crown Prosecution Service last year revealed the number of people prosecuted and convicted for rape fell to the lowest level since records began, despite reports of rape doubling. Related...Boris Johnson Ignoring 'Epidemic Of Misogyny', Says Labour‘Revenge Porn’ Ruined My Teen Years. Now I’m Fighting BackOpinion: We Have A Chance To Get Serious On Stalking. The Government Aren’t Taking It
Related Stories
Latest News
Top news around the world
Academy Awards

‘Oppenheimer’ Reigns at Oscars With Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director

Get the latest news about the 2024 Oscars, including nominations, winners, predictions and red carpet fashion at 96th Academy Awards

Around the World

Celebrity News

> Latest News in Media

Watch It
Olivia Munn Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Double Mastectomy Procedure | E! News
March 13, 2024
kUaEV1Kd3S0
Travis Kelce Shares Details From His Trip to Singapore With Taylor Swift | E! News
March 13, 2024
3YXi-Dgf4eg
Kate Middleton VIRAL Photo: Agency Addresses Photoshop Claims | E! News
March 13, 2024
S4VkO0TpkCY
Da'Vine Joy Randolph Plays 'Smash or Pass' With Iconic Moments From Her Career
March 13, 2024
vkPdJEF2BX4
Jean Smart Wears a Hotel Bathrobe to Present an Award to Hannah Einbinder l Power of Comedy SxSW
March 12, 2024
Bw7uVEYQev4
Lenny Kravitz Walk of Fame Ceremony
March 12, 2024
MlWq8BcnwhE
Dak Prescott Extortion Plot & Steph Curry for President? | TMZ Sports Full Ep - 3/12/24
March 13, 2024
jHFsrjs7OFY
A Japanese space rocket blew up after takeoff Tuesday, turning the sky into a fireball of smoke.
March 13, 2024
YkfJ3Qg8B7c
#KimKardashian and #BiancaCensori hung out at #KanyeWest's listening party Tuesday night!
March 13, 2024
EfwLLq6bx9k
‘Pioneer Woman’ Ree Drummond denies using Ozempic to lose 60 pounds
March 13, 2024
Omfjk1AlZ3A
Chrissy Teigen reveals her ‘boob lift scars’ in daring dress at Jay-Z & Beyoncé’s Oscars 2024 party
March 13, 2024
VxZ2qXAlpmU
Zoë Kravitz pokes fun at dad Lenny Kravitz's style during Hollywood Walk of Fame speech
March 13, 2024
j3-lcFu_1sQ
TV Schedule
Late Night Show
Watch the latest shows of U.S. top comedians

Sports

Latest sport results, news, videos, interviews and comments
Latest Events
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Atletico Madrid - Barcelona
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester United - Liverpool
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Inter Milan - Napoli
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund - Eintracht Frankfurt
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Chelsea - Leicester City
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Roma - Sassuolo
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Verona - AC Milan
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Genoa
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
SC Freiburg - Bayer Leverkusen
17
Mar
USA: Major League Soccer
Atlanta United - Orlando City
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
West Ham United - Aston Villa
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Rayo Vallecano - Real Betis
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Championship
Leeds - Millwall
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Las Palmas - Almeria
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Villarreal - Valencia
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Sevilla - Celta Vigo
16
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Darmstadt - Bayern Munich
16
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester City - Newcastle United
16
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur
16
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Osasuna - Real Madrid
13
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Atletico Madrid - Inter Milan
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Barcelona - Napoli
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Arsenal - Porto
11
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Chelsea - Newcastle United
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Liverpool - Manchester City
10
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Real Madrid - Celta Vigo
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Aston Villa - Tottenham Hotspur
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Atalanta
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Fiorentina - Roma
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
AC Milan - Empoli
09
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Werder Bremen - Borussia Dortmund
09
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Arsenal - Brentford
09
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Bologna - Inter Milan
Find us on Instagram
at @feedimo to stay up to date with the latest.
Featured Video You Might Like
zWJ3MxW_HWA L1eLanNeZKg i1XRgbyUtOo -g9Qziqbif8 0vmRhiLHE2U JFCZUoa6MYE UfN5PCF5EUo 2PV55f3-UAg W3y9zuI_F64 -7qCxIccihU pQ9gcOoH9R8 g5MRDEXRk4k
Copyright © 2020 Feedimo. All Rights Reserved.