Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and Sexual Risk Orders can restrict where you go, who you see and how you use the internet, often for years. Their terms must be necessary and proportionate, and they can be challenged when they are made, varied when your circumstances change, and discharged when they are no longer needed.
If you are subject to an order
- Keep a copy of the order and read every term carefully.
- If a term is unclear, ask a solicitor before acting. Breach is a criminal offence.
- Keep records of compliance, such as courses, employment and probation reports. They help any later application.
- Do not delete internet history or use software that hides it if the order prohibits this.
What is a Sexual Harm Prevention Order?
A Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) is a civil order that prohibits a person from doing things described in the order. It can be made:
- On conviction, by the sentencing court, under Part 11 of the Sentencing Act 2020, or
- On application by the police or the National Crime Agency to a magistrates' court, against someone with a previous conviction or caution for a relevant offence.
The court must be satisfied that the order is necessary to protect the public, or particular members of the public, from sexual harm. Every prohibition must be necessary, proportionate and clear enough to follow.
Common SHPO terms
- restrictions on unsupervised contact with children under 16 or 18,
- requirements to tell the police about devices and internet-enabled accounts,
- bans on deleting internet history or using encryption or wiping software,
- allowing the police to inspect devices on request,
- restrictions on foreign travel, and
- exclusion from particular places or contact with particular people.
Draft terms are usually put forward by the prosecution. Your solicitor can object to terms that are too wide, unworkable or unnecessary before the order is made, which is far easier than changing them later.
What is a Sexual Risk Order?
A Sexual Risk Order (SRO) is made under section 122A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 against someone who has not necessarily been convicted or cautioned. The police apply to a magistrates' court, which can make the order if you have done an act of a sexual nature that gives reasonable cause to believe an order is necessary to protect the public from harm. An SRO lasts for at least two years.
SRO applications sometimes follow an investigation that ended in no further action. You are entitled to oppose the application and to challenge the evidence relied on. Interim orders can be made while the application is decided.
Varying or discharging an order
You, the police or the NCA can apply to the court to vary, renew or discharge an order. Applications to remove or relax terms are often made because of changes in circumstances: a new relationship, a job, a change in how technology is used, or years of compliance with no concerns.
- An SHPO cannot be discharged within five years of being made without the consent of both you and the police.
- An SRO cannot be discharged within two years without the same consent.
Evidence of rehabilitation, risk assessments and support from probation can strengthen an application. If you are also subject to indefinite notification, see our page on removal from the sex offenders register, as the two processes interact.
Appealing an order
An SHPO made on conviction is part of the sentence and can be appealed in the same way. Orders made on application can also be appealed. Time limits for appeals are short, so take advice as soon as the order is made.
Breach of an SHPO or SRO
Doing anything prohibited by an order without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence, with a maximum of five years' imprisonment. Under the Sentencing Council guideline for breach, the offence range is a fine to four and a half years' custody. The court looks at how serious the breach was and whether it was deliberate or caused harm. Many alleged breaches involve unclear terms or technical issues, such as an undeclared device, and a defence of reasonable excuse may be available.
For notification requirements, see our guide to the sex offenders register.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Sexual Harm Prevention Order last?
An SHPO lasts for at least five years and can be made for a fixed period or until further order. Individual prohibitions within the order can have different end dates.
Can I get my SHPO discharged early?
You can apply to the court to vary or discharge an SHPO at any time, but the court cannot discharge it within the first five years unless both you and the police agree. After that, the court will consider whether the order is still necessary to protect the public from sexual harm.
Can I get a Sexual Risk Order without being convicted?
Yes. A Sexual Risk Order is made by a magistrates’ court on a police application. It does not need a conviction or caution, only an act of a sexual nature that gives reasonable cause to believe an order is needed to protect the public. You are entitled to oppose the application.
What happens if I breach an order?
Breaching an SHPO or SRO without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence with a maximum of five years’ imprisonment. Breaching a Sexual Risk Order also makes you subject to notification requirements. If you are unsure what an order allows, ask a solicitor before acting.
Can an SHPO stop me using the internet?
An order can restrict internet use, but courts have held that a total ban is rarely proportionate in modern life. More usual terms require devices to be capable of keeping internet history, allow police inspection, or ban specific apps or deletion software. Unworkable or excessive terms can be challenged.
How we help
We are a referral service, not a law firm, and we do not give legal advice ourselves. When you contact us, we pass your details in confidence to an independent solicitor who specialises in sexual offence defence, so they can contact you directly. We cover the whole of England and Wales, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and every other area we cover.
This page is general information about the law in England and Wales, not legal advice. Last updated 11 November 2026.