Sexual Offences Guideline: Indecent images of children

Overview

This is part of a wider consultation on a new guideline for sentencing sexual offences.

This section covers offences relating to indecent images of children. 

These offences relate to photographs (including moving images) and also images made, for example, on a computer but which look like real photographs.

The indecent images offences have a statutory maximum of five years’ imprisonment for possession of images and 10 years’ imprisonment for the distribution, taking or making of such images. Sentences passed for any offence cannot be higher than the statutory maximum. The definition of ‘child’ for these offences is anyone under 18 years of age.

What happens next

Following the conclusion of this consultation exercise, a response will be published on our website.