‘A banker who commuted from Hull to London to take “upskirt” pictures of women on Tube escalators has been spared jail.’
Daily Telegraph, 11th September 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘In our latest report, we recommend reforms to the common law offences of public nuisance and outraging public decency.’
Law Commission, 24th June 2015
Source: www.lawcommission.justice.gov.uk
‘A man who drunkenly exposed himself in a park, smeared his own blood on two men and threw bottles at people has been jailed for eight months.’
BBC News, 26th September 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A man who appeared from the storage cupboard of a hotel naked with a fire extinguisher hose up his bottom, has walked free from court.’
The Independent, 3rd December 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“A drunken couple have been jailed after ‘playing to an audience’ by allowing a crowd of up to 40 teenagers to film them having sex in public.”
Daily Telegraph, 14th June 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A man who urinated on a plaque in a war memorial in South Gloucestershire and scratched the word “prick” into the pavement has been jailed for 11 weeks.”
The Independent, 6th July 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“A court ruling has cast doubt on whether urinating in public is a nuisance – as long as no-one sees. So is it really ever acceptable?”
BBC News, 15th May 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A woman branded ‘Britain’s most disgusting person’ by veterans after she was convicted of urinating on a war memorial was given a suspended sentence today.”
The Independent, 25th August 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“A woman has fled court before being sentenced for urinating and committing a sex act on a war memorial – the fourth case of its kind in Britain within a year.”
The Guardian, 20th August 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A man who urinated beside a war memorial only weeks after a student prompted a national furore by doing the same thing was ordered to work 160 hours of unpaid community service.”
The Guardian, 6th April 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A student who admitted outraging public decency after he was pictured urinating over a Sheffield war memorial has been told to do community service.”
BBC News, 26th November 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A voyeur who filmed underneath women’s skirts in a supermarket has been ordered not to use a camera in public for two years at Preston Crown Court.”
BBC News, 11th November 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A drunken couple who celebrated winning £100 on the National Lottery with a display of exhibitionism in a town centre have walked free from court.”
Daily Telegraph, 23rd July 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“An art gallery will not face any legal action over claims it displayed an indecent statue of Jesus Christ.”
BBC News, 10th November 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A married father-of-three wore a curly blonde wig and revealed skimpy lingerie to passing train drivers at the side of the tracks, a court was told.”
Daily Telegraph, 18th September 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Two Britons have appeared in court in Dubai after allegedly having sex on a beach in the Muslim emirate. What would happen if a couple got frisky on a beach in the UK?”
Full story
BBC News Magazine, 2nd September 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A Christian group is taking an art centre to court, claiming it displayed an indecent statue of Jesus Christ.”
BBC News, 2nd September 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A former soldier who urinated on a disabled woman as she lay dying on her doorstep is planning an appeal against his three-year prison sentence.”
BBC News, 3rd December 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Elements of outraging public decency
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
“The two-person rule applicable to the common-law offence of outraging public decency was capable of being satisfied if there were two or more persons present who were capable of seeing the nature of the act even if they did not actually see it.”
The Times, 16th October 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“Two young women who flashed their breasts in front of a CCTV camera have had a court case against them dropped.”
BBC News, 24th August 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2024