[Shasown]

Originally Posted by Zippy

Jonathon King also had a taste for boys around 15 too. Ended up serving 4 years in prison. I somehow doubt you view him through the same rose coloured spectacles!

the legal age of consent then was 16.

Wrong on both counts.

There was no legal age for consent for homosexual sex during Wildes time. Homosexuality was illegal. Incidentally since the introduction of The Offences Against the Persons Act of 1861, males under the age of 14 were deemed to have the same protection in law as females.


As for the age of consent for Jonathon Kings crime's. It had been lowered to 16 a few months before he went on trial for the offences, however at the time of the offences cited and for which he was charged and prosecuted the age of consent for homosexual men was 18. There is no statute of limitations on sexual offences.