British actor and political activist Laurence Fox has arrived at court to face charges relating to upskirting offences against television personality Narinder Kaur.
The Charges and Legal Proceedings
Fox stands accused under Sections 66A and 66B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, legislation that was recently amended by the Online Safety Act 2023. The first charge alleges he shared a photograph or film of someone in an intimate state with the intention of causing alarm, distress or humiliation. The second charge relates to sending an image of genitals for the same purpose.
The 47-year-old had previously pleaded not guilty to the sexual offence charges and is now attempting to have his Section 66A charge dismissed during today's hearing. Fox has also submitted an abuse-of-process application that will be addressed by the court.
The Incident and Aftermath
The charges stem from an incident in April 2024 when Fox allegedly reposted an image of Kaur to his X (formerly Twitter) account following a political argument with the Good Morning Britain star online. The original photograph was taken in 2009 without Kaur's knowledge or consent as she was exiting a taxi.
Kaur, known for her appearance on Big Brother, arrived at court with her husband Jatinder Punia after waiving her right to anonymity. She previously told The Times about the profound impact the incident has had on her life, describing it as feeling "like being assaulted every day, every time I tweet or go online."
Fox did issue a public apology on X after the post, though he controversially stated it was "not my fault" that Kaur had been photographed in a compromising position over 15 years ago.
Potential Consequences
If convicted of the upskirting charges, Fox faces serious consequences including up to two years in prison and potential placement on the Sex Offenders Register. Section 66A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 specifically addresses 'cyberflashing' and makes it illegal to intentionally share sexual images of someone without their consent.
The case continues to unfold as the court considers both the dismissal application and the abuse-of-process claim, with the outcome likely to set significant precedents for how similar digital sexual offences are handled under British law.
