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Sexual assault / rapeVerified against official source
This range was checked against the official legal text. Last verified: 2026-10-19.
Statutory range
Rape (s.1) — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – life
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Indictable only.
Assault by penetration (s.2) — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – life
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Indictable only.
Sexual assault (s.3) — summary
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Unlimited fine (statutory maximum)
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Either-way; the 6-month summary cap is stated in the section itself.
Sexual assault (s.3) — on indictment
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 10 years
- Fine
- Unlimited fine
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
E&W law has no single offence called 'sexual assault / rape' — the entry covers rape, assault by penetration, and sexual assault in ss.1–3. Child and other specialist sexual offences (e.g. ss.5–13) carry their own maxima and are not covered here.