Report No. 109

3.7. The Act of 1981.-

Recently, there has been enacted in England (in 1981) an Act to make "fresh provision" with respect to the public display of indecent matter. Its main target is the "public nuisance" aspect of indecent displays e.g.,

(i) cinema club posters; (ii) bookshop window displays that people cannot avoid, seeing as they walk along the pavement or go into a shop to buy (say) cigarettes or chocolates; (iii) sex show window displays.1

The Act2 makes it an offence to "make", "cause" or "permit" the public display of any indecent matter. The old statutory offences are repealed.

1. Mr. T. Sainsbury, H.C. Debates, Vol. 997, Col. 1167.

2. Indecent Displays (Control) Act, 1971 (Ch. 42) (Eng.). See R.T.H. Stone Out of Sight, out of Mind (January 1982) 45 Modern Law Review.