'Victims needs' key' to review of sex offence laws

A planned review of the Isle of Man's new sexual offences laws will carefully consider victims' experiences, the home affairs minister has pledged.

The Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021 saw Manx legislation updated to introduce specific offences including revenge porn and upskirting, which can lead to prison sentences of up to three years.

An independent review by Kate Blackwell KC is set to look at the impact of the new laws since they were introduced in March 2024.

Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said the review sought to "check how it has been implemented and how the enforcement is going" and "to look at demand and associated resourcing".

The act updated previous laws from 1992 to include crimes involving digital abuse, consent and safeguarding.

It also updated laws to address offences including online grooming, voyeurism, and upskirting.

Poole-Wilson said the review would examine "the victim experience" and how victims' needs are met through the legal system.

The review would also look at child protection, she added.

Another key area to be re-examined will be sentencing.

Currently most custodial sentences are capped at three years.

Poole-Wilson said the independent review would particularly look at "benchmarking with other jurisdictions to see where our sentences are coming out".

She said it tied into ongoing work to establish a sentencing council to "look at some of the guidance that might be put in place for the courts to take into account when they are thinking of what's an appropriate sentence in a particular situation".

While the minister added that it was "really important that the courts remain completely independent" from politics, it was also vital for the public to "understand and have confidence in how sentences are arrived at".

People can provide feedback on their own experiences with the new laws.

These will only assist the review with informed experiences, rather than have the ability to investigate or reopen past or existing cases.

Poole-Wilson hoped to report any recommendations from the review by the summer.

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