In addition to the public interest factors outlined in paragraph, prosecutors should bear in mind the following:

In cases of sexual activity between siblings, care should be taken to balance the public interest in prosecuting such conduct with the interests and welfare of the victim and the family unit. Where more than one man is alleged to have raped the complainant on the same occasion all offenders should be indicted on the same count with no reference to aiders and abettors.In accordance with Section 13 a person under 18 commits an offence if he does anything which would amount to an offence under Sections 9-12.

Non-consensual offences under sections 1 - 4 Sexual Offences Act 2003 are so serious that a prosecution is almost certainly required in the public interest.The section 6 offence is an indictable only offence and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment In drafting offences under section 47, prosecutors should specify whether the activity is penetrative or non-penetrative as different maximum penalties apply. Prosecutors should be aware of the activities of so called ‘Internet Vigilantes’ (link) who are members of the public using social media to uncover alleged paedophiles and refer to the related guidance.