Legal Question in Business Law in United Kingdom

Re: escorting

Assuming that this is a question about offering to accompany someone on a date, it is not of itself illegal, even if as part of the liaison, money is exchanged for sexual services between consenting adults. There however various offences that can be committed in relation to Prostitution. These are now set in the newish, Sexual Offences Act 2003. This act defines a prostitute as ��.a person (A) who, on at least one occasion ��, offers or provides sexual services to another person in return for payment or a promise of payment to A or a third person.�

Sections 51-58 of the Act contain the relevant offences, mostly relating to causing or inciting prostitution for gain and controlling prostitution for gain (pimping in common parlance). The use of premises for sexual services arising out of escorting may also result in the Escortor being deemed to be running a brothel, which is also illegal. Advertising sexual services is also illegal but advertising for escorting services with no direct reference to sex will usually be ok.

Care needs to be taken, in offering any of the aforementioned services on a web site or by other electronic means, that the Distance Selling Regulations and the E-Commerce Directive as otherwise it may be difficult to enforce payment under the contract for the services.