Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008

37 Extension of period for which young offender contract has effect

(1) Part 3 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (c. 6) (mandatory and discretionary referral of young offenders) is amended as follows.

(2) After section 27A (as inserted by section 36 above) insert—

“27B Extension of period for which young offender contract has effect

(1) This section applies where at any time—

(a) a youth offender contract has taken effect under section 23 above for a period which is less than twelve months;

(b) that period has not ended; and

(c) having regard to circumstances which have arisen since the contract took effect, it appears to the youth offender panel to be in the interests of justice for the length of that period to be extended.

(2) The panel may refer the offender back to the appropriate court requesting it to extend the length of that period.

(3) The requested period of extension must not exceed three months.”

(3) In Schedule 1 (youth offender panels: further court proceedings), after Part 1 insert—

“Part 1ZA Referral back to appropriate court: extension of period for which contract has effect

Introductory

9ZB (1) This Part of this Schedule applies where a youth offender panel refers an offender back to the appropriate court under section 27B of this Act with a view to the court extending the period for which the offender’s youth offender contract has effect.

(2) For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule and that section the appropriate court is—

(a) in the case of an offender aged under 18 at the time when (in pursuance of the referral back) the offender first appears before the court, a youth court acting in the local justice area in which it appears to the youth offender panel that the offender resides or will reside; and

(b) otherwise, a magistrates' court (other than a youth court) acting in that area.

Mode of referral back to court

9ZC The panel shall make the referral by sending a report to the appropriate court explaining why the offender is being referred back to it.

Power of court

9ZD (1) If it appears to the appropriate court that it would be in the interests of justice to do so having regard to circumstances which have arisen since the contract took effect, the court may make an order extending the length of the period for which the contract has effect.

(2) An order under sub-paragraph (1) above—

(a) must not extend that period by more than three months; and

(b) must not so extend that period as to cause it to exceed twelve months.

(3) In deciding whether to make an order under sub-paragraph (1) above, the court shall have regard to the extent of the offender’s compliance with the terms of the contract.

(4) The court may not make an order under sub-paragraph (1) above unless—

(a) the offender is present before it; and

(b) the contract has effect at the time of the order.

Supplementary

9ZE The following paragraphs of Part 1 of this Schedule apply for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule as they apply for the purposes of that Part—

(a) paragraph 3 (bringing the offender before the court);

(b) paragraph 4 (detention and remand of arrested offender); and

(c) paragraph 9ZA (power to adjourn hearing and remand offender).”