• Joseph Farage, nephew of Nigel Farage, admitted to upskirting a woman but avoided the sex offenders register and jail time, sparking criticism over perceived leniency.
• He was fined £1,091 in total, including a victim surcharge and prosecution fees, with no further legal action to be taken.
Joseph Farage, nephew of far-right Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, confessed to placing his mobile phone beneath the clothing of his victim with the intent to record and share the footage with a third party, aiming to distress and humiliate the victim.
The offence occurred at the Orpington branch of Co-Op on July 17 last year. Farage of Orpington, pleaded guilty to the offence and appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court for sentencing last Friday (January 17).
Despite the gravity of the act, the 31-year-old, who owns an electrical firm in Kent and is a father of two, was not added to the sex offenders register. Authorities assert that, since the victim was over 18, automatic inclusion on the register does not apply. This ruling has sparked controversy, particularly given Nigel Farage’s outspoken criticism of so-called two-tier policing. The incident does little to bolster the credibility of such arguments.
In addition to a fine and compensation for the victim, Joseph Farage was ordered to pay £230 victim surcharge and an £85 in prosecution fees, bringing the total financial penalty to £1,091. Astonishingly, no further legal action will be pursued.
Upskirting has been recognised as a criminal offence following the introduction of the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019. Before this legislation, upskirting incidents were typically prosecuted under the common law offence of Outraging Public Decency or existing voyeurism laws outlined in Section 67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
