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Section 272.11 Criminal Code Act 1995
Persistent Sexual Abuse of Child Outside Australia

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Persistent Sexual Abuse of a Child Outside Australia is an offence under Section 272.11 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

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

  1. You committed an offence under:
  1. Section 272.8(1) – sexual intercourse with child outside Australia,
  2. Section 272.8(2) – causing child to have sexual intercourse in your presence outside Australia,
  3. Section 272.9(1) – sexual activity with child outside Australia, or
  4. Section 272.9(2) – causing child to have sexual activity in your presence outside Australia, and
  1. You did so on two or more separate occasions against the same person.

The prosecution does not have to prove that the underlying offence you are alleged to have engaged in was the same on each occasion nor is it required to prove the precise dates or circumstances of the occasions on which the conduct is alleged to have occurred.

However, the prosecution must:

  1. Specify with reasonable particularity the period during which the conduct is alleged to have occurred,
  2. Describe the nature of each separate underlying offence, and
  3. Satisfy all members of the jury that the conduct occurred on at least two of the same occasions.

In the event you are acquitted of the offence you may instead be convicted of an underlying offence.

Duress and necessity are legal defense.

If you require Expert Legal Advice from an Experienced Criminal Defence Lawyer for your Persistent Sexual Abuse of Child Outside Australia matter, call Sydney Criminal Lawyers® today on (02) 9261 8881.

The Legislation

272.11 Persistent sexual abuse of child outside Australia

(1) A person commits an offence against this section if the person commits an offence (the underlying offence) against one or more of the following provisions in relation to the same person (the child) on 3 or more separate occasions during any period:

(a) subsection 272.8(1) (engaging in sexual intercourse with child outside Australia);

(b) subsection 272.8(2) (causing child to engage in sexual intercourse in presence of defendant outside Australia);

(c) subsection 272.9(1) (engaging in sexual activity (other than sexual intercourse) with child outside Australia);

(d) subsection 272.9(2) (causing child to engage in sexual activity (other than sexual intercourse) in presence of defendant outside Australia).

Penalty: Imprisonment for 25 years.

(2) There is no fault element for any of the physical elements described in subsection (1) other than the fault elements (however described), if any, for the underlying offence.

(3) To avoid doubt, a person does not commit the underlying offence for the purposes of subsection (1) if the person has a defence to the underlying offence.

Offence or conduct need not be the same

(4) For the purposes of subsection (1), it is immaterial whether the underlying offence, or the conduct constituting the underlying offence, is the same on each occasion.

Certain matters need not be proved

(5) In proceedings for an offence against this section, it is not necessary to specify or to prove the dates or exact circumstances of the occasions on which the conduct constituting the offence against this section occurred.

Content of charge

(6) A charge of an offence against this section:

(a) must specify with reasonable particularity the period during which the offence against this section occurred; and

(b) must describe the nature of the separate offences alleged to have been committed by the person during that period.

Trier of fact to be satisfied of certain matters

(7) In order for the person to be found guilty of an offence against this section:

(a) the trier of fact must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the evidence establishes at least 3 separate occasions during the period concerned on which the person engaged in conduct constituting an offence against subsection 272.8(1) or (2) or 272.9(1) or (2), of a nature described in the charge, in relation to the child; and

(b) the trier of fact must be so satisfied about the material facts of the 3 such occasions, although the trier of fact need not be so satisfied about the dates or the order of those occasions; and

(c) if the trier of fact is a jury and more than 3 such occasions are relied on as evidence of the commission of an offence against this section—all the members of the jury must be so satisfied about the same 3 incidents.

(8) In proceedings for an offence against this section, the judge must warn the jury (if any) of the requirements of subsection (7).

Double jeopardy etc.

(9) A person who has been convicted or acquitted of an offence against this section may not be convicted of another offence against section 272.8, 272.9 or 272.10 that is alleged to have been committed in relation to the child in the period during which the person was alleged to have committed the offence against this section.

(10) However, subsection (9) does not prevent an alternative verdict under section 272.28.

(11) A person who has been convicted or acquitted of an offence against section 272.8, 272.9 or 272.10 in relation to a person (the child) may not be convicted of an offence against this section in relation to the child if any of the occasions relied on as evidence of the commission of the offence against this section includes the conduct that constituted the offence of which the person was convicted or acquitted.

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.

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