Perverts found guilty of upskirting face tougher punishments from today

PERVERTS who take secret pictures up women’s skirts now face tough punishment.

The long-awaited law against “upskirting” comes into force today across England and Wales.

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It means sickos who take photos under unsuspecting people’s clothes can be arrested under the new offence, and face up to two years if convicted.

In extreme cases, upskirters can be put on the Sex Offenders Register.

Gina Martin who led the campaign said: “I’m so happy. Finally we have a fit-for-purpose law that protects against every instance of upskirting - as we should have always had.”

And Justice Minister Lucy Frazer said: “We have ensured more people are protected from this degrading and humiliating practice.”

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There have been some convictions for upskirting under existing laws but there were loopholes as there had to be at least two witnesses to the photo being taken, and it was not treated as a sexual offence.

An attempt to introduce a tougher law was blocked last June by Tory backbencher Sir Christopher Chope, sparking outrage – and protestors draping his office with pairs of knickers.

The Government then introduced the Voyeurism Act, making it an offence if anyone “operates equipment or records an image under another person’s clothing with the intention of viewing, or enabling another person to view, their genitals or buttocks (with or without underwear)”, either for sexual gratification or causing humiliation.

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