11AMatters to be taken or not taken into account in sentencing certain sexual offenders

### 11A Matters to be taken or not taken into account in sentencing certain sexual offenders > [*\[Section 11A Inserted by No. 36 of 2016, s. 4, Applied:07 Oct 2016\]*](/view/html/inforce/2016-10-07/act-2016-036#GS4@EN) > > > (1)  In this section – > > > > > ***aggravating circumstance***, in relation to a sexual offence, includes, but is not limited to, the following: > > > > > > > > (a) the victim being under the care, supervision or authority of the offender; > > > > > > > > > (b) the victim being a person with a disability; > > > > > > > > > (c) the victim being under the age of 13 years; > > > > > > > > > (d) the offender committing the offence in whole or in part in the presence of any other person or persons, besides the victim; > > > > > > > > > (da) [*\[Section 11A Subsection (1) amended by No. 2 of 2023, s. 42, Applied:20 Apr 2023\]*](/view/html/inforce/2023-04-20/act-2023-002#GS42@Hpa@EN) the victim being under the age of 18 years and the offender being a person in a position of authority in relation to the victim (regardless of whether the offence is under [section 124A](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS124@EN) of the *Criminal Code,* or any other section of the *Criminal Code*); > > > > > > > > > (e) the offender subjecting the victim to violence or the threat of violence; > > > > > > > > > (f) the offender supplying the victim with alcohol or drugs with the intention of facilitating the commission of the offence; > > > > > > > > > (g) the offender making forced or uninvited entry into the victim's home or other premises; > > > > > > > > > (h) the offender doing, in the course of committing the sexual offence, an act likely to seriously and substantially degrade or humiliate the victim; > > > > > > > > > (i) the offender causing any other person or persons to carry out an act referred to in [paragraph (e)](#GS11A@Gs1@Nd2712016114415@Hpe@EN) , [(f)](#GS11A@Gs1@Nd2712016114415@Hpf@EN) , [(g)](#GS11A@Gs1@Nd2712016114415@Hpg@EN) or [(h)](#GS11A@Gs1@Nd2712016114415@Hph@EN) of this definition; > > > > > ***disability*** means any restriction or lack (resulting from any absence, loss or abnormality of mental, psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function) of ability to perform an activity in a normal manner; > > > > > [*\[Section 11A Subsection (1) amended by No. 2 of 2023, s. 42, Applied:20 Apr 2023\]*](/view/html/inforce/2023-04-20/act-2023-002#GS42@Hpb@EN) ***person in a position of authority*** has the same meaning as in [section 124A](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS124A@EN) of the *Criminal Code*; > > > > > ***sexual offence*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) [*\[Section 11A Subsection (1) amended by No. 2 of 2023, s. 42, Applied:20 Apr 2023\]*](/view/html/inforce/2023-04-20/act-2023-002#GS42@Hpc@EN) [*\[Section 11A Subsection (1) amended by No. 17 of 2024, s. 42, Applied:01 Nov 2024\]*](/view/html/inforce/2024-11-01/act-2024-017#GS42@Hpa@EN) a crime under [section 124](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS124@EN) , [124A](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS124A@EN) , [124B](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-094#JS1@GS124B@EN) , [124C](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-094#JS1@GS124C@EN) , [125](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS125@EN) , [125A](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS125A@EN) , [125B](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS125B@EN) , [125C](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS125C@EN) , [126](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS126@EN) , [127](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS127@EN) , [127A](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS127A@EN) , [129](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS129@EN) , [130](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS130@EN) , [130A](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS130A@EN) , [133](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS133@EN) or [185 of the](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS185@EN) [Criminal Code](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069) ; or > > > > > > > > > (b) [*\[Section 11A Subsection (1) amended by No. 21 of 2022, s. 33, Applied:22 Dec 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-12-22/act-2022-021#GS33@Hpa@EN) an attempt to commit a crime referred to in [paragraph (a)](#GS11A@Gs1@Nd2712016472915@Hpa@EN) of this definition; or > > > > > > > > > (c) [*\[Section 11A Subsection (1) amended by No. 21 of 2022, s. 33, Applied:22 Dec 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-12-22/act-2022-021#GS33@Hpb@EN) a crime under [section 170A](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS170A@EN) of the *Criminal Code*, the commission of which involved an unlawful family violence act involving – > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) a crime referred to in [paragraph (a)](#GS11A@Gs1@Nd2712016472915@Hpa@EN) of this definition; or > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) an attempt to commit a crime referred to in [paragraph (a)](#GS11A@Gs1@Nd2712016472915@Hpa@EN) of this definition. > > > (2)  In determining the appropriate sentence for an offender convicted of a sexual offence – > > > > > > (a) the court is to take into account any aggravating circumstance in relation to the sexual offence; and > > > > > > > (b) the court is not to take into account the offender's good character or lack of previous convictions if the court is satisfied that the offender's alleged good character or lack of previous convictions was of assistance to the offender in the commission of the sexual offence. > > > (3)  [*\[Section 11A Subsection (3) inserted by No. 29 of 2019, s. 22, Applied:02 Oct 2019\]*](/view/html/inforce/2019-10-02/act-2019-029#GS22@EN) [*\[Section 11A Subsection (3) substituted by No. 17 of 2024, s. 42, Applied:01 Nov 2024\]*](/view/html/inforce/2024-11-01/act-2024-017#GS42@Hpb@EN) In determining the appropriate sentence for an offender convicted of a child sexual offence – > > > > > > (a) any alleged consent, or other alleged acquiescence, made or given by the victim is not a mitigating factor; and > > > > > > > (b) the sentencing patterns and practices at the time of sentencing are to be taken into account by the court.