Cash-for-sex ban slammed

A LANDMARK ban on paying for sex in Northern Ireland has been hailed by Christian groups but denounced by prostitutes’ representatives.

The region will become the first part of the UK to back such a clamp down after Stormont Assembly members supported the move in a vote.

The proposal to outlaw purchasing sex was among a number of clauses contained in a Bill aimed at amending Northern Ireland’s laws on trafficking and prostitution.

Paid-for consensual sex is currently legal in Northern Ireland, though activities such as kerb crawling, brothel keeping and pimping are against the law.

A ban will see the region implement a prohibition similar to the model currently operating in Sweden.