35Referral conditions
(1)Section 17 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (c. 6) (the referral conditions) is amended as follows.
(2)In subsection (1)—
(a)after “section 16(2) above” insert “and subsection (2) below”,
(b)insert “and” at the end of paragraph (a), and
(c)omit paragraph (c).
(3)For subsections (1A) and (2) substitute—
“(2)For the purposes of section 16(3) above, the discretionary referral conditions are satisfied in relation to an offence if—
(a)the compulsory referral conditions are not satisfied in relation to the offence;
(b)the offender pleaded guilty—
(i)to the offence; or
(ii)if the offender is being dealt with by the court for the offence and any connected offence, to at least one of those offences; and
(c)subsection (2A), (2B) or (2C) below is satisfied in relation to the offender.
(2A)This subsection is satisfied in relation to the offender if the offender has never been convicted by or before a court in the United Kingdom (“a UK court”) of any offence other than the offence and any connected offence.
(2B)This subsection is satisfied in relation to the offender if the offender has been dealt with by a UK court for any offence other than the offence and any connected offence on only one previous occasion, but was not referred to a youth offender panel under section 16 above on that occasion.
(2C)This subsection is satisfied in relation to the offender if—
(a)the offender has been dealt with by a UK court for any offence other than the offence and any connected offence on one or more previous occasions, but has been referred to a youth offender panel under section 16 above on only one previous occasion;
(b)an appropriate officer recommends to the court as suitable for the offender a referral to a youth offender panel under that section in respect of the offence; and
(c)the court considers that there are exceptional circumstances which justify ordering the offender to be so referred.
(2D)In subsection (2C)(b) above “appropriate officer” means—
(a)a member of a youth offending team;
(b)an officer of a local probation board; or
(c)an officer of a provider of probation services.”
(4)Omit subsection (5).