Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Explanatory Notes

Section 134: Conditional cautions: removal etc of certain foreign offenders

731.Section 134 amends section 22 of the 1991 Act so as to make available new types of conditions that can be attached to a conditional caution given to an offender who is a foreign national and who does not have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom. The object of these conditions is to bring about the departure of the foreign offender from the UK and ensure that they do not return to the UK for a period. These conditions may be attached to a conditional caution, whether or not it is in addition to a condition with one or more of the existing objectives in section 22(3) of the 1991 Act (namely facilitating the rehabilitation of the offender; ensuring that the offender makes reparation for the offence; or punishing the offender).

732.This section also defines the category of foreign offenders who could be offered such conditions as those offenders whose immigration status makes them liable for removal from the UK. This means a person who has no leave to enter or remain in the UK and in respect of whom there is a power to enforce their departure from the UK. As with all conditional cautions, the offender must admit the offence and agree to accept the conditional caution.

733.If the foreign offender does not comply with these conditions he or she may be prosecuted for the original offence.

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