The Street Offences Act 1959 ( 7 & 8 Eliz. 2. c. 57) is an Act of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...

concerning street prostitution. It was passed following the publication of the Wolfenden report which discussed the rise in street prostitution at the time. Until 2009, section 1(1) of the Street Offences Act 1959 used the old term " common prostitute" unti
Section 16
of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 amended it to replace the term "common prostitute" with "person".

Section 2 - Procedure

Section 2 of the Street Offences Act 1959 provided that a woman cautioned by a constable in respect of her conduct in a street or public place could apply by way of complaint to an authorised court. The rule was that the woman's complaint was to be heard and determined in camera, unless the woman desired that the proceedings should be conducted in public.

Section 3 - Punishment of offences in connection with night cafes

The provisions in sections 3(2) to (5) had effect in relation to the punishment of offences to which section 26 of the Licensing Act 1949 applied. This section was repealed by Part II of Schedule 9 to the Licensing Act 1961.

Section 4 - Punishment for living on earnings of prostitution

Section 4 established the maximum term of imprisonment for living on earnings of prostitution.

Section 5 - Short title, repeal, extent and commencement

Section 5(2) was repealed by Part XI of the Schedule to the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1974. Section 5(4) provides that the Act came into force at the expiration of the period of one month that began on the date on which it was passed. The word "month" means calendar month. The day (that is to say, 16 July 1959) on which the Act was passed (that is to say, received royal assent) is included in the period of one month.Hare v Gocher 9622 QB 641, 9622 All ER 673; Trow v Ind Coope (West Midlands) Ltd 9672 QB 899 at 909, 9672 All ER 900, CA. This means that the Act came into force on 16 August 1959.

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