Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996

16 Conviction of scheduled offence during period of remission

(1) This section applies where a person who has been sentenced to imprisonment or a term of detention in a young offenders centre for a period exceeding one year—

(a) is discharged from prison or the centre in pursuance of prison rules; and

(b) before that sentence or term of detention would (but for that discharge) have expired he commits, and is convicted on indictment of, a scheduled offence.

(2) If the court before which he is convicted of the scheduled offence sentences him to imprisonment or a term of detention it shall in addition order him to be returned to prison or, where appropriate, to a young offenders centre for the period between the date of the order and the date on which the sentence of imprisonment or term of detention mentioned in subsection (1) would have expired but for his discharge.

(3) No order shall be made under subsection (2) if the sentence imposed by the court is a suspended sentence or a sentence of life imprisonment or of detention during the Secretary of State’s pleasure under section 73(1) of the [1968 c. 34 (N.I.).] Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968; and any order made by a court under that subsection shall cease to have effect if an appeal results in the acquittal of the person concerned or in the substitution of a sentence other than one in respect of which the duty imposed by that subsection applies.

(4) The period for which a person is ordered under this section to be returned to prison or a young offenders centre—

(a) shall be taken to be a sentence of imprisonment or term of detention for the purposes of the [1953 c. 18 (N.I.).] Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 and for the purposes of the [1968 c. 29 (N.I.).] Treatment of Offenders Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 other than section 26(2) (reduction for time spent in custody);

(b) shall not be subject to any provision of prison rules for discharge before expiry; and

(c) shall be served before, and be followed by, the sentence or term imposed for the scheduled offence and be disregarded in determining the appropriate length of that sentence or term.

(5) For the purposes of this section a certificate purporting to be signed by the governor or deputy governor of a prison or young offenders centre which specifies—

(a) the date on which a person was discharged from prison or a young offenders centre;

(b) the sentence or term which the person was serving at the time of his discharge, the offence in respect of which the sentence or term was imposed and the date on which he was convicted of that offence;

(c) the date on which the person would, but for his discharge in pursuance of prison rules, have been discharged from prison or a young offenders centre,

shall be evidence of the matters so specified.

(6) In this section—

• “prison rules” means rules made under section 13 of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953;

• “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;

• “young offenders centre” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2(a) of the [1968 c. 29 (N.I.).] Treatment of Offenders Act (Northern Ireland) 1968.

(7) For the purposes of subsection (1) consecutive terms of imprisonment or of detention in a young offenders centre shall be treated as a single term and a sentence of imprisonment or detention in a young offenders centre includes—

(a) a sentence or term passed by a court in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man;

(b) in the case of imprisonment, a sentence passed by a court-martial on a person found guilty of a civil offence within the meaning of the [1955 c. 18.] Army Act 1955, the [1955 c. 19.] Air Force Act 1955 and the [1957 c. 53.] Naval Discipline Act 1957.

(8) The Secretary of State may by order substitute a different period for the period of one year mentioned in subsection (1).

(9) This section applies irrespective of when the discharge from prison or a young offenders centre took place but only if—

(a) the scheduled offence is committed while this section is in force;

(b) the offence (being a scheduled offence within the meaning of the [1991 c. 24.] Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991) was committed while section 15 of that Act was in force; or

(c) the offence (being a scheduled offence within the meaning of the [1978 c. 5.] Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978) was committed while section 23 of the [1989 c. 4.] Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 was in force.