Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980
The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980[1] is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom (citation 1980 c.62). It decriminalized private homosexual acts between two consenting adults in Scotland when it came into effect on 1 February 1981.[2]
"Subject to the provisions of this section, a homosexual act in private shall not be an offence provided that the parties consent thereto and have attained the age of twenty-one years." (§80:1)
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to make further provision as regards criminal justice in Scotland; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1980 c. 62 |
| Territorial extent | Scotland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 13 November 1980 |
| Commencement | 1 February 1981 |
Status: Current legislation | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The homosexual age of consent fixed by the Act (21) was much higher than the heterosexual age of consent in the United Kingdom, which had been set at 16 since the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885. The ages of consent for homosexual and heterosexual acts in Scotland were eventually equalised at 16 with the passage of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000.
See also
- LGBT rights in the United Kingdom
- Sexual Offences Act 1967, the Act which decriminalized homosexual acts in England and Wales.
- Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982, the Order in Council which decriminalized homosexual acts in Northern Ireland.
References
- "Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980". www.legislation.gov.uk. Expert Participation. Retrieved 4 September 2017.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE (SCOTLAND) ACT 1980 (Hansard, 17 December 1980)". hansard.millbanksystems.com. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
External links
- "Original text of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980" (PDF). Office of Public Sector Information. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
- "Text of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 as amended and in force today". UK Statute Law Database. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2008.