Blunkett unveils radical sex crime law reforms

BRITAIN’S Home Secretary David Blunkett yesterday announced “an historic change” of the gay sex laws in the most radical overhaul of sex crime legislation for more than 100 years.

Offences such as buggery, gross indecency and soliciting by men will be swept away, while protections against rapists, paedophiles and other perverts will be tightened.

Defendants accused of rape will have to be able to show they took "reasonable action" to ensure the other person consented to sex. A new offence of "grooming" children for sex abuse previously thought to be planned only for adults who lure youngsters on the Internet will be applied to every aspect of life, not just online, with a maximum five-year penalty.