Sexual offences Bill

[warmcome]

I can show him the painting as exhibit A. What evidence has the garda.
If the artist is called to give evidence and says yes she sold me the painting what am I being convicted of.

Was the artist there?

[PaddyReilly]

Well if the artist is selling her own art yes of course she was.
If she is selling someone elses art than she just gives evidence that she sold the painting.

She could be selling small medium and large underwear.
The product doesn't matter once there is evidence that a legitimate product was bought.

The whole idea behind the law is to encourage woman out of the sex for sale business and into a legitimate business. Who could deny them an alternative way of making a living.

[funlover12]

I suspect that the new law will certainly wipe out streetwalking. It will be very easy for the police to catch punters that way.

thats already illegal.

also "evening officer, I thought I was on my way to see an old ford car, but it obviously was not so I turned to leave and the owner grabbed me pinned me down and had her way with me "

"ok you lucky scamp "

[Cassandra]

How much would your solicitor charge you to meet you at the Garda station, and stay for an hour
or two? $$$

Given the situation, should your solicitor take more than an hour,you're already paying too much.

[Meursault]

How much would your solicitor charge you to meet you at the Garda station, and stay for an hour
or two? $$$

use free legal aid.

[mexicanpete]

That is the case for speeding cameras operated by civilians. A garda with a speeding gun will stop you, tell you the speed you were doing and you will be issued with a demand for a fixed sum depending on the speed you were doing, and your licence endorsed with penalty point, all on the garda`s word. If you want to contest it, you can then go to court.
This new law is set up to operate on much the same principle with out the opportunity to pay the fine without going to court.
The charge will be on the garda`s word without the need for any proof on his part.
People can dance around this all they like, but that is the reality of this new law. Basically you will be regarded guilty unless you can prove otherwise.

A policeman can get up in court and testify that he observed you speeding because he was there to observe it. A policeman cannot get up in court and say that you paid for sex because he was not there to observe either you paying for the sex or receiving it. A policeman standing up in court and saying that he thinks that you might have paid for sex would be laughed out of it by the judge. If you say that you only bought and paid for a massage and the police have no direct evidence otherwise, the case is not going to go near the court.

[Lawrence O]

It's 2016 at the earliest before this hits the press!!

[Zealot7]

A policeman can get up in court and testify that he observed you speeding because he was there to observe it. A policeman cannot get up in court and say that you paid for sex because he was not there to observe either you paying for the sex or receiving it. A policeman standing up in court and saying that he thinks that you might have paid for sex would be laughed out of it by the judge. If you say that you only bought and paid for a massage and the police have no direct evidence otherwise, the case is not going to go near the court.

That's for sure, that's why the punishment will be a system of fines rather than court appearances. The authorities won't have a leg to stand upon because of the lack of evidence with a client who's careful and refuses to admit anything to the authorities. The burden of proof is just simply too high. As a client all you'll have to do in the unlikely event you're harassed by the authorities is deny it up all avenues.

You'd be surprized too, there are many examples of laws that authorities actually don't want to be challenged because they just wouldn't stand up in court. It's easy to find examples.

[mexicanpete]

If this new law does come in, there are a number of things that need to be done to obviate any potential criminal charges.

Firstly, the escorts must offer ‘massage only’ as an alternative and describe themselves in their profile as qualified massage therapist. The fact that that is probably untrue is irrelevant. The point is that the punter went to what he thought was a qualified massage therapist.

As it is, I have never queried an escort on her services either on the phone or on meeting her. I go in, pay the money and take what comes. This will be the way that it should be for all going forward just in case it is a policewoman at the end of the phone and your queries are recorded. You would not want this played back to you in court.

By the same token, I have never had an escort ask me what services I would expect. If this query does come up after the new law comes in, you can be sure that I will answer ‘massage only of course’ and quickly forget that girl.

If one has a ‘punting’ phone, one will need to be careful about what is on it.

With a few sensible precautions, we should be impervious to any action under this stupid new law.

[redone7010]

A policeman can get up in court and testify that he observed you speeding because he was there to observe it. A policeman cannot get up in court and say that you paid for sex because he was not there to observe either you paying for the sex or receiving it. A policeman standing up in court and saying that he thinks that you might have paid for sex would be laughed out of it by the judge. If you say that you only bought and paid for a massage and the police have no direct evidence otherwise, the case is not going to go near the court.

Under this new law that is all he has to do. Stand up in court and say he had a premises under observation that he suspected people were visiting for the purpose of buying sexual services. He stopped and asked a number of people, all of whom are in court today, as to why they were visiting said premises, and none gave did a relpy that allayed his suspicion. Judge looks down the court at the rest of the accused and that I`m very much afraid is it.
Even if you come up with a story that will get you out of court without a conviction, the media will still cover it with you being named, in at the very least, the local papers. Either way, as far as the garda are concerned its a win win for them.