2(1)After subsection (3) of section 70 of the Air Force Act 1955 (civil offences) there shall be inserted the following subsection—
“(3A)Where the corresponding civil offence is one to which section 2, 3 or 4 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 would apply, the court-martial shall impose the sentence required by subsection (2) of that section unless it is of the opinion that there are exceptional circumstances which justify its not doing so.”
(2)For subsection (1A) of section 71A of that Act (juveniles) there shall be substituted the following subsection—
“(1A)Where—
(a)a person under 21 years of age is convicted of murder or any other civil offence the sentence for which is fixed by law as imprisonment for life; or
(b)a person under that age is convicted of any civil offence to which section 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 would apply and the court is not of the opinion mentioned in subsection (2) of that section,
the court shall sentence him to custody for life unless he is liable to be detained under subsection (3) below.”
(3)In subsection (6A) of section 71AA of that Act (young service offenders: custodial orders), for the words “Section 65 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991” there shall be substituted the words “Sections 16 and 17 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 (as modified by section 19 of that Act)”.
(4)In paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 5A to that Act (powers of court on trial of civilian), after the words “fixed by law” there shall be inserted the words “or falls to be imposed under section 70(3A) above”.
(5)In paragraph 10(6A) of that Schedule, for the words “Section 65 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991” there shall be substituted the words “Sections 16 and 17 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 (as modified by section 19 of that Act)”.