A failed Police clampdown on dogging in a secluded part of Calderdale, Yorkshire may have shifted the problem to the Calder Valley, local councillors believe.
Ripponden Parish Council has been concerned about dogging, which they say has been taking place around rural Baitings reservoir. Thrill seeking doggers drive to the isolated beauty spot from miles around to either watch or take part in outdoors sex.
Councillor Geraldine Carter told a recent council meeting “The amount of dogging at Baitings has diminished since the police began recording car number plates and sending letters to the registered owners, but I believe these people are now moving to areas around Hebden Bridge, Luddenden and Todmorden.”
“While the problem here seems to be reducing, I suspect it is only temporary,” said Councillor Carter as doggers dodge the police and simply move elsewhere for their private fun. She failed to mention what the council feel about the police recording law-abiding people’s car number plates.
Inspector Dave Browning, also known as Big Brother Browning, from the the local Upper Valley neighbourhood policing team, said he had been aware of concerns about sexual activities at Moselden Lane, Ripponden, and had been carrying out work to deal with those concerns.
“No one who has been written to has re-offended,” said Big Brother Browning, neglecting to say what offences had occurred in the first place.
A local dogger called Josher the Nosher stated that he was appalled at the violation of his privacy, the waste of Police time, the abuse of his personal rights and that the local constabulary’s high handed approach infringed upon his civil liberties.
Strong words, and he has a point – and perhaps the local council and the local Police would do well to brush up on the law – after all dogging is not illegal.
Section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that exposure of the genitals with the intent to cause alarm or distress to the person exposed is against the law. If an individual “intentionally exposes his genitals and he intends that someone will see them AND be caused alarm or distress” he is committing an offence. Plain and simple. It can clearly be argued that people out dogging and exposing themselves in the act of dogging are not out to cause alarm or distress, and are thus NOT committing an offence.
Section 67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that it is a crime to watch any person engaging in a sexual act for the purpose of obtaining your own sexual gratification, knowing that the other person does not consent to such observation for your sexual gratification. If the person has consented to you watching and is fully aware that you are watching for your sexual gratification it is not a crime.
To read more on the legal aspects surrounding dogging, read this Dogging and The Law guide.
To check out where you can go dogging – legally – read this Dogging Locations guide.
