Sexual interference is a criminal offense that involves the intentional touching of any part of the body of a person under the age of 16 for a sexual purpose. Unlike sexual assault, which requires the touching to be of a "sexual nature," sexual interference requires the touching to be for a "sexual purpose". The Crown must prove that the accused touched the complainant for a sexual purpose and that the complainant was under the age of 16 at the time. Sexual interference is a more specific crime that occurs when there is a sexual purpose, while sexual assault can be any touch of a sexual nature. Sexual interference carries significant penalties if convicted, including a minimum sentence starting from 90 days in summary proceedings and up to one year in the indictment process. It is important to note that persons under the age of 16 cannot consent to sexual activity, and it is not a defense to sexual interference that the accused believed the complainant was 16 years of age or older.