(1) Subject to subsections (1A), (1B) and (2) below, where a short-term or long-term prisoner is released on licence, the licence shall, subject to . . . any revocation under section 39(1) or (2) below, remain in force until the date on which he would (but for his release) have served three-quarters of his sentence.
(1A) Where a prisoner is released on licence under section 33(3) or (3A) above, subsection (1) above shall have effect as if for the reference to three-quarters of his sentence there were substituted a reference to the whole of that sentence.
(1B) Where a prisoner whose sentence is for a term of twelve months or more is released on licence under section 33A(2) or 34A(3) above, subsection (1) above shall have effect as if for the reference to three-quarters of his sentence there were substituted a reference to the difference between—
(a) that proportion of his sentence; and
(b) the duration of the curfew condition to which he is or was subject.
(2) Where a prisoner whose sentence is for a term of less than twelve months is released on licence under section 34A(3) or 36(1) above, subsection (1) above shall have effect as if for the reference to three-quarters of his sentence there were substituted a reference to one-half of that sentence.
(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(4) A person subject to a licence under this Part shall comply with such conditions . . . as may for the time being be specified in the licence; and the Secretary of State may make rules for regulating the supervision of any description of such persons.
(4A) The conditions so specified may in the case of a person released on licence under section 34A above whose sentence is for a term of less than twelve months, and shall in any other case, include on the person’s release conditions as to his supervision by—
(a) an officer of a local probation board appointed for or assigned to the petty sessions area within which the person resides for the time being; or
(b) where the person is under the age of 18 years, a member of a youth offending team established by the local authority within whose area the person resides for the time being.
(5) The Secretary of State shall not include on release, or subsequently insert, a condition in the licence of a long-term prisoner, or vary or cancel any such condition, except after consultation with the Board.
(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) above, the Secretary of State shall be treated as having consulted the Board about a proposal to include, insert, vary or cancel a condition in any case if he has consulted the Board about the implementation of proposals of that description generally or in that class of case.
(7) The power to make rules under this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
37A Curfew condition to be included in licence under section 34A.
(1) A person shall not be released under section 34A(3) above unless the licence includes a condition (“the curfew condition”) which—
(a) requires the released person to remain, for periods for the time being specified in the condition, at a place for the time being so specified (which may be an approved probation hostel); and
(b) includes requirements for securing the electronic monitoring of his whereabouts during the periods for the time being so specified.
(2) The curfew condition may specify different places or different periods for different days, but shall not specify periods which amount to less than 9 hours in any one day (excluding for this purpose the first and last days of the period for which the condition is in force).
(3) The curfew condition shall remain in force until the date when the released person would (but for his release) have served one-half of his sentence.
(4) The curfew condition shall include provision for making a person responsible for monitoring the released person’s whereabouts during the periods for the time being specified in the condition; and a person who is made so responsible shall be of a description specified in an order made by the Secretary of State.
(5) The power conferred by subsection (4) above—
(a) shall be exercisable by statutory instrument; and
(b) shall include power to make different provision for different cases or classes of case or for different areas.
(6) Nothing in this section shall be taken to require the Secretary of State to ensure that arrangements are made for the electronic monitoring of released persons’ whereabouts in any particular part of England and Wales;
(7) In this section “approved probation hostel” has the same meaning as in the Probation Service Act 1993.
(1) If it appears to the Secretary of State, as regards a person released on licence under section 34A(3) above—
(a) that he has failed to comply with the curfew condition;
(b) that his whereabouts can no longer be electronically monitored at the place for the time being specified in that condition; or
(c) that it is necessary to do so in order to protect the public from serious harm from him,
the Secretary of State may, if the curfew condition is still in force, revoke the licence and recall the person to prison.
(2) A person whose licence under section 34A(3) above is revoked under this section—
(a) may make representations in writing with respect to the revocation;
(b) on his return to prison, shall be informed of the reasons for the revocation and of his right to make representations.
(3) The Secretary of State, after considering any representations made under subsection (2)(b) above or any other matters, may cancel a revocation under this section.
(4) Where the revocation of a person’s licence is cancelled under subsection (3) above, the person shall be treated for the purposes of sections 34A(2)(f) and 37(1B) above as if he had not been recalled to prison under this section.
(5) On the revocation under this section of a person’s licence under section 34A(3) above, he shall be liable to be detained in pursuance of his sentence and, if at large, shall be deemed to be unlawfully at large.
(6) In this section “the curfew condition” has the same meaning as in section 37A above.
39 Recall of long-term and life prisoners while on licence.
(1) If recommended to do so by the Board in the case of a short-term or long-term . . . prisoner who has been released on licence under this Part, the Secretary of State may revoke his licence and recall him to prison.
(2) The Secretary of State may revoke the licence of any such person and recall him to prison without a recommendation by the Board, where it appears to him that it is expedient in the public interest to recall that person before such a recommendation is practicable.
(3) A person recalled to prison under subsection (1) or (2) above—
(a) may make representations in writing with respect to his recall; and
(b) on his return to prison, shall be informed of the reasons for his recall and of his right to make representations.
(4) The Secretary of State shall refer to the Board—
(a) the case of a person recalled under subsection (1) above who makes representations under subsection (3) above; and
(b) the case of a person recalled under subsection (2) above.
(5) Where on a reference under subsection (4) above the Board—
(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(b) recommends in the case of any . . . person,
his immediate release on licence under this section, the Secretary of State shall give effect to the . . . recommendation.
(5A) In the case of a prisoner to whom section 44A below applies, subsections (4)(b) and (5) of that section apply in place of subsection (5) above.
(6) On the revocation of the licence of any person under this section, he shall be liable to be detained in pursuance of his sentence and, if at large, shall be deemed to be unlawfully at large.
40A Release on licence following return to prison.
(1) This section applies (in place of sections 33, 33A, 37(1) and 39 above) where a court passes on a person a sentence of imprisonment which—
(a) includes, or consists of, an order under section 116 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000; and
(b) is for a term of twelve months or less.
(2) As soon as the person has served one-half of the sentence, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him on licence.
(3) Where the person is so released, the licence shall remain in force for a period of three months.
(4) If the person fails to comply with such conditions as may for the time being be specified in the licence, he shall be liable on summary conviction—
(a) to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale; or
(b) to a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding the relevant period,
but not liable to be dealt with in any other way.
(5) In subsection (4) above “the relevant period” means a period which is equal in length to the period between the date on which the failure occurred or began and the date of the expiry of the licence.
(6) As soon as a person has served one-half of a sentence passed under subsection (4) above, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him, subject to the licence if it is still subsisting.
(1) This section applies to any person whose sentence falls to be reduced under section 67 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 (“the 1967 Act”) by any relevant period within the meaning of that section (“the relevant period”).
(2) For the purpose of determining for the purposes of this Part—
(a) whether a person to whom this section applies has served one-half or two-thirds of his sentence; or
(b) whether such a person would (but for his release) have served three-quarters of that sentence,
the relevant period shall, subject to subsection (3) below, be treated as having been served by him as part of that sentence.
(3) Nothing in subsection (2) above shall have the effect of reducing the period for which a licence granted under this Part to a short-term or long-term prisoner remains in force to a period which is less than—
(a) one-quarter of his sentence in the case of a short-term prisoner; or
(b) one-twelfth of his sentence in the case of a long-term prisoner.
(1) Prison rules, that is to say, rules made under section 47 of the 1952 Act, may include provision for the award of additional days—
(a) to short-term or long-term prisoners; or
(b) conditionally on their subsequently becoming such prisoners, to persons on remand,
who (in either case) are guilty of disciplinary offences.
(2) Where additional days are awarded to a short-term or long-term prisoner, or to a person on remand who subsequently becomes such a prisoner, and are not remitted in accordance with prison rules—
(a) any period which he must serve before becoming entitled to or eligible for release under this Part;
(aa) any period which he must serve before he can be removed under section 46A below;and
(b) any period for which a licence granted to him under this Part remains in force,
shall be extended by the aggregate of those additional days.
(1) Subject to subsections (4) and (5) below, this Part applies to persons serving sentences of detention in a young offender institution, or determinate sentences of detention under section 91 of of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, as it applies to persons serving equivalent sentences of imprisonment.
(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3) References in this Part to prisoners . . ., or to prison or imprisonment, shall be construed in accordance with subsection (1). . . above.
(4) In relation to a short-term prisoner under the age of 18 years to whom subsection (1) of section 33 above applies, that subsection shall have effect as if it required the Secretary of State—
(a) to release him unconditionally if his sentence is for a term of twelve months or less; and
(b) to release him on licence if that sentence is for a term of more than twelve months.
(5) In relation to a person under the age of 22 years who is released on licence under this Part, section 37(4A) above shall have effect as if the reference to supervision by an officer of a local probation board included a reference to supervision by a social worker of a local authority . . . .
44 Extended sentences for sexual or violent offenders.
(1) This section applies to a prisoner serving an extended sentence within the meaning of section 85 of the Powers of Criminal (Sentencing) Act 2000.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this section and section 51(2D) below, this Part, except section 40A, shall have effect as if the term of the extended sentence did not include the extension period.
(3) Where the prisoner is released on licence under this Part, the licence shall, subject to any revocation under section 39(1) or (2) above, remain in force until the end of the extension period.
(4) Where, apart from this subsection, the prisoner would be released unconditionally—
(a) he shall be released on licence; and
(b) the licence shall, subject to any revocation under section 39(1) or (2) above, remain in force until the end of the extension period.
(5) The extension period shall be taken to begin as follows—
(a) for the purposes of subsection (3) above, on the date given by section 37(1) above;
(b) for the purposes of subsection (4) above, on the date on which, apart from that subsection, the prisoner would have been released unconditionally.
(6) Sections 33(3) and 33A(1) above and section 46 below shall not apply in relation to the prisoner.
(7) For the purposes of sections 37(5) and 39(1) and (2) above the question whether the prisoner is a long-term or short-term prisoner shall be determined by reference to the term of the extended sentence.
(8) In this section “extension period” has the same meaning as in section 85 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000.
44A Re-release of prisoners serving extended sentences.
(1) This section applies to a prisoner serving an extended sentence within the meaning of section 85 of the Powers of the Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 who is recalled to prison under section 39(1) or (2) above.
(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, the prisoner may require the Secretary of State to refer his case to the Board at any time.
(3) Where there has been a previous reference of the prisoner’s case to the Board (whether under this section or section 39(4) above), the Secretary of State shall not be required to refer the case until after the end of the period of one year beginning with the disposal of that reference.
(4) On a reference—
(a) under this section; or
(b) under section 39(4) above,
the Board shall direct the prisoner’s release if satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that he should be confined (but not otherwise).
(5) If the Board gives a direction under subsection (4) above it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release the prisoner on licence.
(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, this Part (except sections 33A, 34A and 35 above) applies to persons committed to prison or to be detained under section 108 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000—
(a) in default of payment of a sum adjudged to be paid by a conviction; or
(b) for contempt of court or any kindred offence,
as it applies to persons serving equivalent sentences of imprisonment; and references in this Part to short-term or long-term prisoners, or to prison or imprisonment, shall be construed accordingly.
(2) In relation to persons committed as mentioned in subsection (1) above, the provisions specified in subsections (3) and (4) below shall have effect subject to the modifications so specified.
(3) In section 33 above, for subsections (1) to (3) there shall be substituted the following subsections—
(1) As soon as a person committed as mentioned in section 45(1) below has served the appropriate proportion of his term, that is to say—
(a) one-half, in the case of a person committed for a term of less than twelve months;
(b) two-thirds, in the case of a person committed for a term of twelve months or more,
it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him unconditionally.
(2) As soon as a person so committed who—
(a) has been released on licence under section 36(1) below; and
(b) has been recalled under section section 39(1) or (2) below,
would (but for his release) have served the appropriate proportion of his term, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him unconditionally.
(4) In section 37 above, for subsections (1) to (3) there shall be substituted the following subsection—
(1) Where a person committed as mentioned in section 45(1) below is released on licence under section 36(1) above, the licence shall, subject to—
(a) . . .
(b) any revocation under section section 39(1) or (2)below,
continue in force until the date on which he would (but for his release) have served the appropriate proportion of his term; and in this subsection “appropriate proportion” has the meaning given by section 33(1) above.
46 Persons liable to removal from the United Kingdom.
(1) In relation to a long-term prisoner who is liable to removal from the United Kingdom, section 35 above shall have effect as if the words “if recommended to do so by the Board” were omitted.
(2) In relation to a person who is liable to removal from the United Kingdom, section 37 above shall have effect as if subsection (4A) were omitted .
(3) A person is liable to removal from the United Kingdom for the purposes of this section if—
(a) he is liable to deportation under section 3(5) of the Immigration Act 1971 and has been notified of a decision to make a deportation order against him;
(b) he is liable to deportation under section 3(6) of that Act;
(c) he has been notified of a decision to refuse him leave to enter the United Kingdom; or
(d) he is an illegal entrant within the meaning of section 33(1) of that Act. or
(e) he is liable to removal under section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
46A Early removal of persons liable to removal from United Kingdom
(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, where a short-term or long-term prisoner is liable to removal from the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State may under this section remove him from prison at any time after he has served the requisite period.
(2) Subsection (1) above does not apply where—
(a) the sentence is an extended sentence within the meaning of section 85 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000,
(b) the sentence is for an offence under section 1 of the Prisoners (Return to Custody) Act 1995,
(c) the prisoner is subject to a hospital order, hospital direction or transfer direction under section 37, 45A or 47 of the Mental Health Act 1983,
(d) the prisoner is subject to the notification requirements of Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, or
(e) the interval between—
(i) the date on which the prisoner will have served the requisite period for the term of the sentence, and
(ii) the date on which he will have served one-half of the sentence,
is less than 14 days.
(3) A prisoner removed from prison under this section—
(a) is so removed only for the purpose of enabling the Secretary of State to remove him from the United Kingdom under powers conferred by—
(i) Schedule 2 or 3 to the Immigration Act 1971, or
(ii) section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and
(b) so long as remaining in the United Kingdom, remains liable to be detained in pursuance of his sentence until he falls to be released under section 33 or 35 above.
(4) So long as a prisoner removed from prison under this section remains in the United Kingdom but has not been returned to prison, any duty or power of the Secretary of State under section 33, 35 or 36 is exercisable in relation to him as if he were in prison.
(5) In this section “the requisite period” means—
(a) for a term of three months or more but less than four months, a period of 30 days;
(b) for a term of four months or more but less than 18 months, a period equal to one-quarter of the term;
(c) for a term of 18 months or more, a period that is 135 days less than one-half of the term.
(6) The Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument—
(a) amend the definition of “the requisite period” in subsection (5) above,
(b) make such transitional provision as appears to him necessary or expedient in connection with the amendment.
(7) No order shall be made under subsection (6) above unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
(8) In relation to any time before the commencement of sections 80 and 81 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, the reference in subsection (2)(d) above to Part 2 of that Act is to be read as a reference to Part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997.
46B Re-entry into United Kingdom of offender removed early from prison
(1) This section applies in relation to a person who, after being removed from prison under section 46A above, has been removed from the United Kingdom before he has served one-half of his sentence.
(2) If a person to whom this section applies enters the United Kingdom at any time before his sentence expiry date, he is liable to be detained in pursuance of his sentence from the time of his entry into the United Kingdom until whichever is the earlier of the following—
(a) the end of a period (“the further custodial period”) beginning with that time and equal in length to the outstanding custodial period, and
(b) his sentence expiry date.
(3) A person who is liable to be detained by virtue of subsection (2) above is, if at large, to be taken for the purposes of section 49 of the Prison Act 1952 (persons unlawfully at large) to be unlawfully at large.
(4) Subsection (2) above does not prevent the further removal from the United Kingdom of a person falling within that subsection.
(5) Where, in the case of a person returned to prison by virtue of subsection (2) above, the further custodial period ends before the sentence expiry date, subsections (1) and (2) of section 33 above apply in relation to him as if any reference to one-half or two-thirds of the prisoner’s sentence were a reference to the further custodial period.
(6) If a person returned to prison by virtue of subsection (2) above falls by virtue of subsection (5) above to be released on licence under section 33(1) or (2) above after the date on which (but for his removal from the United Kingdom) he would have served three-quarters of his sentence, section 37(1) above has effect in relation to him as if for the reference to three-quarters of his sentence there were substituted a reference to the whole of his sentence.
(7) If a person who is released on licence under section 33(1) or (2) above at the end of the further custodial period is recalled to prison under section 39(1) or (2) above, section 33A(3) above shall not apply, but it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State—
(a) if the person is recalled before the date on which (but for his removal from the United Kingdom) he would have served three-quarters of his sentence, to release him on licence on that date, and
(b) if he is recalled after that date, to release him on the sentence expiry date.
(8) A licence granted by virtue of subsection (7)(a) above shall remain in force until the sentence expiry date.
(9) In this section—
“further custodial period” has the meaning given by subsection (2)(a) above;
“outstanding custodial period”, in relation to a person to whom this section applies, means the period beginning with the date on which he was removed from the United Kingdom and ending with the date on which (but for his removal) he would have served one-half of his sentence;
“sentence expiry date”, in relation to a person to whom this section applies, means the date on which (but for his removal from the United Kingdom) he would have served the whole of this sentence.
(1) A short-term or long-term prisoner is an extradited prisoner for the purposes of this section if—
(a) he was tried for the offence in respect of which his sentence was imposed—
(i) after having been extradited to the United Kingdom; and
(ii) without having first been restored or had an opportunity of leaving the United Kingdom; and
(b) he was for any period kept in custody while awaiting his extradition to the United Kingdom as mentioned in paragraph (a) above.
(2) If, in the case of an extradited prisoner, the court by which he was sentenced so ordered, section 67 of the 1967 Act (computation of sentences of imprisonment) shall have effect in relation to him as if a period specified in the order were a relevant period for the purposes of that section.
(3) The period that may be so specified is such period as in the opinion of the court is just in all the circumstances and does not exceed the period of custody mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above.
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
48 Life prisoners transferred to England and Wales.
(1) This section applies where, in the case of a transferred life prisoner, the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, certifies his opinion that, if—
(a) he had been sentenced for his offence in England and Wales after the commencement of section 34 above; and
(b) the reference in subsection (1)(a) of that section to a violent or sexual offence the sentence for which is not fixed by law were a reference to any offence the sentence for which is not so fixed,
the court by which he was so sentenced would have ordered that that section should apply to him as soon as he had served a part of his sentence specified in the certificate.
(2) In a case to which this section applies, this Part except section 35(2) above shall apply as if—
(a) the transferred life prisoner were a discretionary life prisoner for the purposes of this Part; and
(b) the relevant part of his sentence within the meaning of section 34 of this Act were the part specified in the certificate.
(3) In this section “transferred life prisoner” means a person—
(a) on whom a court in a country or territory outside England and Wales has imposed one or more sentences of imprisonment or detention for an indeterminate period; and
(b) who has been transferred to England and Wales, in pursuance of—
(i) an order made by the Secretary of State under section 26 of the Criminal Justice Act 1961 or section 2 of the Colonial Prisoners Removal Act 1884; or
(ii) a warrant issued by the Secretary of State under the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984,
there to serve his sentence or sentences or the remainder of his sentence or sentences.
(4) A person who is required so to serve the whole or part of two or more such sentences shall not be treated as a discretionary life prisoner for the purposes of this Part unless the requirements of subsection (1) above are satisfied as respects each of those sentences; and subsections (3) and (5) of section 34 above shall not apply in relation to such a person until after he has served the relevant part of each of those sentences.
49 Alteration by order of relevant proportions of sentences.
(1) The Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument provide—
(a) that the references in section 33(5) above to four years shall be construed as references to such other period as may be specified in the order;
(b) that any reference in this Part to a particular proportion of a prisoner’s sentence shall be construed as a reference to such other proportion of a prisoner’s sentence as may be so specified.
(2) An order under this section may make such transitional provisions as appear to the Secretary of State necessary or expedient in connection with any provision made by the order.
(3) No order shall be made under this section unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.
50 Transfer by order of certain functions to Board.
(1) The Secretary of State, after consultation with the Board, may by order made by statutory instrument provide that, in relation to such class of case as may be specified in the order, the provisions of this Part specified in subsections (2) or (3) below shall have effect subject to the modifications so specified.
(2) In section 35 above, in subsection (1) for the word “may” there shall be substituted the word “shall”; but nothing in this subsection shall affect the operation of that subsection as it has effect in relation to a long-term prisoner who is liable to removal from the United Kingdom (within the meaning of section 46 above).
(3) In section 37 above, in subsection (5) for the words “after consultation with the Board” there shall be substituted the words “in accordance with recommendations of the Board”, and subsection (6) shall be omitted.
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5) No order shall be made under this section unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.
(1) In this Part—
“the Board” means the Parole Board;
. . .
. . .
“long-term prisoner” and “short-term prisoner” have the meanings given by section 33(5) above (as extended by sections 43(1) and 45(1) above);
“sentence of imprisonment” does not include a committal in default of payment of any sum of money, or for want of sufficient distress to satisfy any sum of money, or for failure to do or abstain from doing anything required to be done or left undone.
“sexual offence” and “violent offence” have the same meanings as in the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000.
(2) For the purposes of any reference in this Part, however expressed, to the term of imprisonment to which a person has been sentenced or which, or part of which, he has served, consecutive terms and terms which are wholly or partly concurrent shall be treated as a single term if—
(a) the sentences were passed on the same occasion; or
(b) where they were passed on different occasions, the person has not been released under this Part at any time during the period beginning with the first and ending with the last of those occasions.
(2A) Where a suspended sentence of imprisonment is ordered to take effect, with or without any variation of the original term, the occasion on which that order is made shall be treated for the purposes of subsection (2) above as the occasion on which the sentence is passed.
(2B) Where a person has been sentenced to two or more terms of imprisonment which are wholly or partly concurrent and do not fall to be treated as a single term—
(a) nothing in this Part shall require the Secretary of State to release him in respect of any of the terms unless and until the Secretary of State is required to release him in respect of each of the others;
(b) nothing in this Part shall require the Secretary of State or the Board to consider his release in respect of any of the terms unless and until the Secretary of State or the Board is required to consider his release, or the Secretary of State is required to release him, in respect of each of the others;
(c) on and after his release under this Part he shall be on licence for so long, and subject to such conditions, as is required by this Part in respect of any of the sentences; . . .
(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2C) Where a person has been sentenced to one or more terms of imprisonment and to one or more life sentences (within the meaning of section 34 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997), nothing in this Part shall—
(a) require the Secretary of State to release the person in respect of any of the terms unless and until the Secretary of State is required to release him in respect of each of the life sentences; or
(b) require the Secretary of State or the Board to consider the person’s release in respect of any of the terms unless and until the Secretary of State or the Board is required to consider his release in respect of each of the life sentences.
(2D) Subsections (2B) and (2C) above shall have effect as if the term of an extended sentence (within the meaning of section 85 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000) included the extension period (within the meaning of that section).
(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(4) Section 161(4) of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (meaning of “protecting the public from serious harm”) shall apply for the purposes of this Part as it applies for the purposes of that Act.
54 Video recordings of testimony from child witnesses.
After section 32 of the 1988 Act (evidence through television links) there shall be inserted the following section—
Video recordings of testimony from child witnesses.
32A (1) This section applies in relation to the following proceedings, namely—
(a) trials on indictment for any offence to which section 32(2) above applies;
(b) appeals to the criminal division of the Court of Appeal and hearings of references under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 in respect of any such offence; and
(c) proceedings in youth courts for any such offence and appeals to the Crown Court arising out of such proceedings.
(2) In any such proceedings a video recording of an interview which—
(a) is conducted between an adult and a child who is not the accused or one of the accused (“the child witness”); and
(b) relates to any matter in issue in the proceedings,
may, with the leave of the court, be given in evidence in so far as it is not excluded by the court under subsection (3) below.
(3) Where a video recording is tendered in evidence under this section, the court shall (subject to the exercise of any power of the court to exclude evidence which is otherwise admissible) give leave under subsection (2) above unless—
(a) it appears that the child witness will not be available for cross-examination;
(b) any rules of court requiring disclosure of the circumstances in which the recording was made have not been complied with to the satisfaction of the court; or
(c) the court is of the opinion, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, that in the interests of justice the recording ought not to be admitted;
and where the court gives such leave it may, if it is of the opinion that in the interests of justice any part of the recording ought not to be admitted, direct that that part shall be excluded.
(4) In considering whether any part of a recording ought to be excluded under subsection (3) above, the court shall consider whether any prejudice to the accused, or one of the accused, which might result from the admission of that part is outweighed by the desirability of showing the whole, or substantially the whole, of the recorded interview.
(5) Where a video recording is admitted under this section—
(a) the child witness shall be called by the party who tendered it in evidence;
(b) that witness shall not be examined in chief on any matter which, in the opinion of the court, has been dealt with in his recorded testimony.
(6) Where a video recording is given in evidence under this section, any statement made by the child witness which is disclosed by the recording shall be treated as if given by that witness in direct oral testimony; and accordingly—
(a) any such statement shall be admissible evidence of any fact of which such testimony from him would be admissible;
(b) no such statement shall be capable of corroborating any other evidence given by him;
and in estimating the weight, if any, to be attached to such a statement, regard shall be had to all the circumstances from which any inference can reasonably be drawn (as to its accuracy or otherwise).
(7) In this section “child” means a person who—
(a) in the case of an offence falling within section 32(2)(a) or (b) above, is under fourteen years of age or, if he was under that age when the video recording was made, is under fifteen years of age; or
(b) in the case of an offence falling within section 32(2)(c) above, is under seventeen years of age or, if he was under that age when the video recording was made, is under eighteen years of age.
(8) Any reference in subsection (7) above to an offence falling within paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 32(2) above includes a reference to an offence which consists of attempting or conspiring to commit, or of aiding, abetting, counselling, procuring or inciting the commission of, an offence falling within that paragraph.
(9) In this section—
“statement” includes any representation of fact, whether made in words or otherwise;
“video recording” means any recording, on any medium, from which a moving image may by any means be produced and includes the accompanying sound-track.
(10) A magistrates’ court inquiring into an offence as examining justices under section 6 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 may consider any video recording as respects which leave under subsection (2) above is to be sought at the trial, notwithstanding that the child witness is not called at the committal proceedings.
(11) Without prejudice to the generality of any enactment conferring power to make rules of court, such rules may make such provision as appears to the authority making them to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of this section.
(12) Nothing in this section shall prejudice the admissibility of any video recording which would be admissible apart from this section.
55 Further amendments of enactments relating to children’s evidence.
(1) In section 103 of the 1980 Act (evidence of children in committal proceedings) subsection (3)(a) shall cease to have effect and for subsection (5) there shall be substituted the following subsection—
(5) In this section “child” has the same meaning as in section 53 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
(2) In subsection (1) of section 32 of the 1988 Act (evidence through television links)—
(a) for the words from “on a trial” to “1968” there shall be substituted the words “in proceedings to which subsection (1A) below applies”; and
(b) for paragraph (b) there shall be substituted the following paragraph—
(b) the witness is a child, or is to be cross-examined following the admission under section 32A below of a video recording of testimony from him, and the offence is one to which subsection (2) below applies,
.
(3) After that subsection there shall be inserted the following subsection—
(1A) This subsection applies—
(a) to trials on indictment, appeals to the criminal division of the Court of Appeal and hearings of references under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968; and
(b) to proceedings in youth courts and appeals to the Crown Court arising out of such proceedings.
(4) After subsection (3) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsections—
(3A) Where, in the case of any proceedings before a youth court—
(a) leave is given by virtue of subsection (1)(b) above for evidence to be given through a television link; and
(b) suitable facilities for receiving such evidence are not available at any petty-sessional court-house in which the court can (apart from this subsection) lawfully sit,
the court may sit for the purposes of the whole or any part of those proceedings at any place at which such facilities are available and which has been appointed for the purposes of this subsection by the justices acting for the petty sessions area for which the court acts.
(3B) A place appointed under subsection (3) above may be outside the petty sessions area for which it is appointed; but it shall be deemed to be in that area for the purpose of the jurisdiction of the justices acting for that area.
(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(6) After subsection (5) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsection—
(6) Subsection (7) of section 32A below shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that section, but with the omission of the references to a person being, in the cases there mentioned, under the age of fifteen years or under the age of eighteen years.
(7) After section 34 of the 1988 Act there shall be inserted the following section—
Cross-examination of alleged child victims.
34A (1) No person who is charged with an offence to which section 32(2) above applies shall cross-examine in person any witness who—
(a) is alleged—
(i) to be a person against whom the offence was committed; or
(ii) to have witnessed the commission of the offence; and
(b) is a child, or is to be cross-examined following the admission under section 32A above of a video recording of testimony from him.
(2) Subsection (7) of section 32A above shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that section, but with the omission of the references to a person being, in the cases there mentioned, under the age of fifteen years or under the age of eighteen years.
Subsection (1) of section 34 (attendance at court of parent or guardian) of the 1933 Act shall cease to have effect and after that section there shall be inserted the following section—
Attendance at court of parent or guardian.
34A (1) Where a child or young person is charged with an offence or is for any other reason brought before a court, the court—
(a) may in any case; and
(b) shall in the case of a child or a young person who is under the age of sixteen years,
require a person who is a parent or guardian of his to attend at the court during all the stages of the proceedings, unless and to the extent that the court is satisfied that it would be unreasonable to require such attendance, having regard to the circumstances of the case.
(2) In relation to a child or young person for whom a local authority have parental responsibility and who—
(a) is in their care; or
(b) is provided with accommodation by them in the exercise of any functions (in particular those under the Children Act 1989) which stand referred to their social services committee under the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970,
the reference in subsection (1) above to a person who is a parent or guardian of his shall be construed as a reference to that authority or, where he is allowed to live with such a person, as including such a reference.
In this subsection “local authority” and “parental responsibility” have the same meanings as in the Children Act 1989.
In section 38 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (duties of custody officer after charge), for subsections (6) and (6A) there shall be substituted the following subsections—
(6) Where a custody officer authorises an arrested juvenile to be kept in police detention under subsection (1) above, the custody officer shall, unless he certifies—
(a) that, by reason of such circumstances as are specified in the certificate, it is impracticable for him to do so; or
(b) in the case of an arrested juvenile who has attained the age of 15 years, that no secure accommodation is available and that keeping him in other local authority accommodation would not be adequate to protect the public from serious harm from him,
secure that the arrested juvenile is moved to local authority accommodation.
(6A) In this section—
“local authority accommodation” means accommodation provided by or on behalf of a local authority (within the meaning of the Children Act 1989);
“secure accommodation” means accommodation provided for the purpose of restricting liberty;
“sexual offence” and “violent offence” have the same meanings as in Part I of the Criminal Justice Act 1991;
and any reference, in relation to an arrested juvenile charged with a violent or sexual offence, to protecting the public from serious harm from him shall be construed as a reference to protecting members of the public from death or serious personal injury, whether physical or psychological, occasioned by further such offences committed by him.
60 Remands and committals to local authority accommodation.
(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2) In section 37 of the 1980 Act (committal of young person to Crown Court for sentence)—
(a) in subsection (1), for the words “17 years old” there shall be substituted the words “18 years old”;
(b) in subsection (2), for the words “A person committed in custody under subsection (1) above” there shall be substituted the words “Where a person committed in custody under subsection (1) above is not less than 17 years old, he”; and
(c) after that subsection there shall be inserted the following subsection—
(3) Where a person committed in custody under subsection (1) above is less than 17 years old—
(a) he shall be committed to accommodation provided by or on behalf of a local authority (within the meaning of the Children Act 1989) and
(b) the court by which he is so committed shall impose a security requirement within the meaning of section 23 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.
(3) In the case of a child or young person who has been remanded ... to local authority accommodation under section 91(3) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 by a youth court or a magistrates’ court other than a youth court, any application under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 or section 119 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (use of accommodation for restricting liberty) shall, notwithstanding anything in section 92(7) of the Children Act 1989, be made to that court.
62 Transitory provisions pending provision of secure accommodation.
(1) In relation to any time before such day as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint, section 23 of the 1969 Act as substituted by section 60(1) above shall have effect with the following modifications.
(2) In subsection (1), immediately before the words “the remand” there shall be inserted the words “then, unless he is declared by the court, after consultation with a probation officer or a social worker of a local authority social services department, to be a person to whom subsection (5) below applies”.
(3) For subsections (4) and (5) there shall be substituted the following subsections—
(4) Where a court declares a person to be one to whom subsection (5) below applies, it shall remand him—
(a) to a remand centre, if it has been notified that such a centre is available for the reception from the court of such persons; and
(b) to a prison, if it has not been so notified.
(4A) A court shall not declare a person who is not legally represented in the court to be a person to whom subsection (5) below applies unless—
(a) he applied for legal aid and the application was refused on the ground that it did not appear his means were such that he required assistance; or
(b) having been informed of his right to apply for legal aid and had the opportunity to do so, he refused or failed to apply.
(5) This subsection applies to a young person who is male and has attained the age of fifteen, but only if—
(a) he is charged with or has been convicted of a violent or sexual offence, or an offence punishable in the case of an adult with imprisonment for a term of fourteen years or more; or
(b) he has a recent history of absconding while remanded to local authority accommodation, and is charged with or has been convicted of an imprisonable offence alleged or found to have been committed while he was so remanded,
and (in either case) the court is of opinion that only remanding him to a remand centre or prison would be adequate to protect the public from serious harm from him.
(4) In subsection (6)—
(a) for the words “imposes a security requirement in respect of a young person” there shall be substituted the words “declares a person to be one to whom subsection (5) above applies”; and
(b) for the words “subsection (5) above” there shall be substituted the words “that subsection”.
(5) In subsections (7) and (9), the words “without imposing a security requirement” shall be omitted.
(6) After subsection (9) there shall be inserted the following subsection—
(9A) Where a person is remanded to local authority accommodation, a relevant court may, on the application of the designated authority, declare him to be a person to whom subsection (5) above applies; and on its doing so, he shall cease to be remanded to local authority accommodation and subsection (4) above shall apply.
(7) In subsection (12), the definition of “secure accommodation” shall be omitted.
68 Persons aged 17 to be treated as young persons for certain purposes.
The following enactments, namely—
(a) the Children and Young Persons Acts 1933 to 1969;
(b) section 43(3) of the 1952 Act (remand centres, young offender institutions etc.);
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and
(d) the 1980 Act,
shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in Schedule 8 to this Act, being amendments which, for certain purposes of those enactments, have the effect of substituting the age of 18 years for the age of 17 years.