London: Paying for sex became illegal in Northern Ireland today, making it the only part of Britain to adopt more stringent legislation aimed at punishing clients of prostitutes instead of sex workers.

Those caught breaking the new law, which passed last year in the Northern Ireland Assembly by 81 votes to 10, face up to a year in prison or a fine of USD 1,500. It will now not be illegal to solicit for sex in a public place, following the example of a Swedish law introduced in 1999.