Going to Court? Book Your Free First Appointment

Section 66F Crimes Act 1900
Sexual Offences Against Persons with a Cognitive Impairment

Last updated on
Information on this page was reviewed by a specialist defence lawyer before being published. Click to read more.

Responsible person having sexual intercourse with a cognitively impaired person is an offence under section 66F(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

  1. You were a person responsible for the care of a cognitively impaired person, and,
  2. You had sexual intercourse with that person.

A person has a cognitive impairment if he or she has any of the following which requires supervision or social habilitation in connection with life activities:

  1. An intellectual disability,
  2. A developmental disorder, including autism spectrum disorder,
  3. A neurological disorder,
  4. Dementia,
  5. A severe mental illness, or,
  6. Brain injury.

You were ‘responsible for the care of’ a person with a cognitive impairment if you provided care to that person:

  1. At a facility where persons with cognitive impairments are detained, reside or attend, or,
  2. At the home of the person in the course of a program under which any such facility or other government or community organisation provides care to persons with cognitive impairments.

‘Sexual intercourse’ is defined as:

  1. The penetration to any extent of a female’s genitalia, or the anus of any person by any part of, or object used by, another person,
  2. The introduction of a penis into the mouth of another person,
  3. Cunnilingus, or,
  4. The continuation of any of these activities.

It is immaterial whether the cognitively impaired person was actually under your care at the time of the sexual intercourse.

You are not guilty of the offence if you establish ‘on the balance of probabilities’ that:

  1. You did not know the person had a cognitive impairment,
  2. You were married to, or were the de facto partner of, the person, or,
  3. Your conduct was carried out for a proper medical or hygienic purpose.

Duress is a legal defence to the charge.


Taking advantage of a person’s cognitive impairment to have sexual intercourse is an offence under section 66F(3) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) which carries a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison.

To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that you took advantage of a person’s cognitive impairment to have sexual intercourse with her or him.

A person has a cognitive impairment if he or she has any of the following which requires supervision or social habilitation in connection with life activities:

  1. An intellectual disability,
  2. A developmental disorder, including autism spectrum disorder,
  3. A neurological disorder,
  4. Dementia,
  5. A severe mental illness, or,
  6. Brain injury.

‘Sexual intercourse’ is defined as:

  1. The penetration to any extent of a female’s genitalia, or the anus of any person by any part of, or object used by, another person
  2. The introduction of a penis into the mouth of another person
  3. Cunnilingus, or
  4. The continuation of any of these activities

Whether you ‘took advantage’ of the person’s cognitive impairment is a matter for the fact-finder.

You are not guilty of the offence if you establish ‘on the balance of probabilities’ that:

  1. You did not know the person had a cognitive impairment,
  2. You were married to, or were the de facto partner of, the person, or,
  3. Your conduct was carried out for a proper medical or hygienic purpose.

Duress is a legal defence to the charge.

For expert advice and outstanding representation in relation to sexual offences, call Sydney Criminal Lawyers® today on (02) 9261 8881 and let our experienced defence team help you.

The Legislation

Section 66F of the Crimes Act 1900 deals with the offence of ‘Sexual Offences Cognitive Impairment’ and reads as follows:

66F Sexual Offences Cognitive Impairment

(1) Meaning of “person responsible for care” For the purposes of this section, a person is responsible for the care of a person who has a cognitive impairment if the person provides care to that person:
(a) at a facility at which persons with a cognitive impairment are detained, reside or attend, or
(b) at the home of that person in the course of a program under which any such facility or other government or community organisation provides care to persons with a cognitive impairment.

The care of a person with a cognitive impairment includes voluntary care, health professional care, education, home care and supervision.

(2) Sexual intercourse: person responsible for care A person:
(a) who has sexual intercourse with a person who has a cognitive impairment, and
(b) who is responsible for the care of that person (whether generally or at the time of the sexual intercourse),
is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: imprisonment for 10 years.

(3) Sexual intercourse: taking advantage of impairment A person who has sexual intercourse with a person who has a cognitive impairment, with the intention of taking advantage of that person’s cognitive impairment, is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: imprisonment for 8 years.

(5) Consent not a defence for sexual intercourse The consent of a person who has a cognitive impairment is not a defence to a charge for an offence under subsection (2) or (3) (or under section 344A in connection with such an offence).

(6) Consent not a defence for sexual touching or sexual act The consent of a person who has a cognitive impairment is not a defence to a charge for an offence under section 61KC, 61KD, 61KE or 61KF (or under section 344A in connection with such an offence) if:
(a) the accused was responsible for the care of that person (whether generally or at the time of the conduct constituting the offence), or
(b) the accused engaged in the conduct constituting the offence with the intention of taking advantage of that person’s cognitive impairment.

(7) Defences It is a defence to a charge for an offence under subsection (2) or (3) (or under section 344A in connection with such an offence) or an offence referred to in subsection (6) in which the prosecution relies on the operation of that subsection:
(a) if, at the time of the conduct constituting the offence:
(i) the accused did not know the person to whom the charge relates had a cognitive impairment, or
(ii) the accused was married to the person to whom the charge relates or was the de facto partner of that person, or
(b) if the act constituting the offence was carried out for any proper medical or hygienic purpose.

(8) Approval of Attorney General for prosecution A prosecution for any of the following offences may not be commenced without the approval of the Attorney General:
(a) an offence under subsection (2) or (3) (or under section 344A in connection with such an offence),
(b) an offence referred to in subsection (6) in which the prosecution relies on the operation of that subsection.

Why Choose Sydney Criminal Lawyers®?

Going to court can be nerve-racking, but having a strong and compassionate legal team behind you can make the experience significantly easier to deal with.

Here are 12 reasons to choose our multi-award winning legal team:

  1. Proven Track Record of Exceptional Results

    Sydney Criminal Lawyers® consistently achieves outcomes which are in the highest percentile of the Judicial Commission’s sentencing statistics for criminal cases.

    Our legal team devises effective case-strategies and fights hard to have cases dropped entirely or charges downgraded – saving clients the time, expense and stress of a defended hearing or jury trial.

    Where cases nevertheless proceed, our lawyers have an outstanding track record of winning defended Local Court hearings, and complex jury trials in the District and Supreme Courts.

    We also consistently win appeals in the District and Supreme Courts (including the NSWCCA) after clients have received unsatisfactory results with other law firms in the lower courts.We are one of the few firms to achieve successful criminal law appeals in the High Court of Australia.

    Where our clients wish to plead guilty, we frequently achieve ‘dismissals’ and ‘non convictions’ in cases where other lawyers have advised there is no chance of doing so.

  2. Highest Level of Client Satisfaction

    We have the best and most comprehensive client review record of any law firm in Australia.

    Regular communication, accessibility and quality service are our team’s highest priorities.

    We are committed to thoroughly explaining all steps involved in the criminal law process, providing regular updates throughout the proceedings, and making ourselves accessible and responsive.

    We are passionate about providing an exceptional level of service to our clients, and we fight hard to achieve optimal results in the shortest period of time.

  3. Australia’s Most Awarded Criminal Law Firm

    We have received more awards and accolades than any other criminal law firm in Australia. Our team has been awarded “Criminal Defence Firm of the Year in Australia” in a number of prestigious and competitive awards programs for several years running.

    The awards recognise our exceptional track record of results, our outstanding client service, the high level of satisfaction we achieve, the affordability of our services and our overall excellence.

  4. Fixed Fees

    We want our clients to know exactly how much their cases will cost from the very start. That’s why we were the first criminal law firm in Australia to publish ‘fixed fees’, back in 2004.

    We offer fixed fees for most types of criminal cases and services.Our fixed fees apply to a range of Local Court cases such as drink driving, drug possession, fraud, common assault and AVOs, and also specific services such as prison visits, bail applications, appeals and defended hearings.

    Unlike many other law firms, our fixed fees are published on our website – which ensures transparency and certainty.

  5. Free First Appointment

    For those who are going to court, we offer a free first conference of up to an hour with one of our Senior Criminal Defence Lawyers.

    We also offer a free first conference to those who have received an unsatisfactory result after being represented in court by another law firm, or after representing themselves, and wish to appeal.

  6. Specialist Lawyer Guarantee

    We guarantee that only lawyers with substantial criminal defence experience will work on your case and appear for you in court.

    This ensures our clients receive the highest quality representation from an experienced, specialist criminal lawyer.

  7. All NSW Courts

    From Bombala to Broken Hill, our lawyers appear in courts throughout New South Wales – and across Australia for Commonwealth cases.

    And we offer fixed fees for most criminal and traffic law cases throughout the state.

  8. Accredited Specialists

    Our entire firm is exclusively dedicated to criminal law – which makes us true specialists.

    All of our lawyers have years of experience representing clients in criminal cases, and our principal has been certified by the Law Society of NSW as an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist since 2005.

    An ‘Accredited Specialist’ is a lawyer who has practised for at least 5 years in a particular field of law (such as criminal law), has passed a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Law Society of NSW, and has been selected by the Specialist Accreditation Committee of the Law Society as an expert in the field.

    Accredited Specialists are required to undertake more training each year than other lawyers and must be successful in having their accreditation renewed every year. Specialist Accreditation is the mark of a true specialist.

    Our firm’s specialist experience ensures you receive the best possible result, whatever your criminal law case may be.

  9. Results-Focused Law Firm

    Our team is passionate about achieving results, and unlike many other law firms, our lawyers do not have monthly financial ‘budgets’ to meet.

    The absence of budgets means our lawyers are entirely focused on achieving optimal results in the shortest space of time; whether by getting charges dropped or downgraded at an early stage or having cases ‘thrown out of court’.

    Not having budgets also means our lawyers are not under pressure to engage in unscrupulous practices such as unnecessarily adjourning cases or ‘overcharging’ clients – which, sadly, is a common complaint against many other lawyers and law firms.

    No budgets encourages regular consultation between lawyers within the firm – promoting an ‘open door’, team environment where lawyers bounce ideas off one another, formulate case strategy together and benefit from each other’s specialised experience, methods, techniques and insights.

    The result is a firm which delivers optimal outcomes in the shortest time periods, at the least expense and stress to our clients.

  10. Team of Lawyers Behind You

    Our clients benefit from the pool of knowledge that only an extensive team of experienced criminal defence lawyers can provide.

    Our lawyers regularly consult one another to stay ‘ahead of the pack’ in the ever-changing field of criminal law – constantly devising, refining and implementing specialised techniques which ensure our clients achieve the best possible outcomes.

    A team approach is particularly important when it comes to serious criminal cases such as murder, commercial drug cases, serious and sexual assaults, large-scale fraud, robbery and other ‘indictable’ cases.

    In such matters, clients reap the benefits of several lawyers devising and executing case strategies which maximise the chances of having cases dropped or downgraded at an early stage, or ‘thrown out of court’ – often saving clients a great deal of cost, time and anxiety.

  11. Familiar with Magistrates and Judges

    Each of our lawyers appears in court on a daily basis, and has done so for years. We have therefore been able to develop an understanding of, and rapport with, magistrates and judges in Sydney and indeed across the state.

    Our team’s extensive experience before the courts ensures your case is tailored to the specific nuances of individual judicial officers, maximising the likelihood of a favourable result.

  12. Convenience

    We have offices in locations across the Sydney Metropolitan Area and beyond, including:

    We offer free parking at our Sydney CBD offices, and all of our offices are close to train stations and bus terminals.

    For those who are unable to attend our offices, we offer conferences by telephone, Skye and FaceTime anywhere around the world.

    If you are going to court and wish to arrange a free first consultation, call our 24 hour hotline on (02) 9261 8881 or send us an email at info@sydneycriminallawyers.com.au.

Related Videos

Going to Court? Call For Your Free First Appointment

Main Menu

Follow Us

Ask Our AI Assistant

Disclaimer: Response is AI generated general advice only and should not be relied upon without consulting a lawyer.

Saved Articles & Pages

APPOINTMENT BOOKING FORM

Preferred date for conference
Briefly describe your situation:
Do you have a court date?

Your Review & Rating * mandatory fields

Review Text *
Rating (optional)