(1)A matter is eligible for onward referral unless—
(a)the matter relates to conduct or an incident which occurred 5 years or more before the relevant date and none of the exceptions in subsection (4) apply,
(b)the person appointed to give the matter preliminary consideration thinks the allegation is vexatious, or
(c)where an allegation has been made anonymously, or by a person who fails to co-operate with the preliminary consideration procedure, the person appointed to give the matter preliminary consideration is unable to verify it.
(2)In subsection (1) the reference to onward referral is a reference to—
(a)referral to a fitness to practise panel under section 121, or
(b)referral for investigation under section 125.
(3)In subsection (1)(a) “relevant date” means—
(a)the date of the allegation under section 118(1)(a), or
(b)where an allegation has not been made under that section, the date on which SCW first became aware of the matter.
(4)For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) the exceptions are—
(a)the matter relates to a registered person's conviction for a relevant criminal offence;
(b)the matter relates to the inclusion of the registered person in a barred list (as defined in section 117);
(c)the matter relates to a determination by a relevant body (as defined by section 117) to the effect that a registered person's fitness to practise is impaired;
(d)the person giving the matter preliminary consideration thinks that it is in the public interest for the matter to be referred for investigation.
(5)For the purposes of subsection (4)(a) and section 121, a relevant criminal offence is—
(a)in the case of a conviction by a court in the United Kingdom, an offence in respect of which a custodial sentence was, or could have been, imposed, or
(b)in the case of a conviction by a court elsewhere, an offence in respect of which, had the offence been committed in England and Wales a custodial sentence could have been imposed.
(6)In subsection (5) “custodial sentence” has the meaning given by section 76 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (c.6) [F1or section 222 of the Sentencing Code].
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 120(6) inserted (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 24 para. 309(1) (with Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2
Commencement Information
I1S. 120 in force at 3.4.2017 by S.I. 2017/309, art. 2(e) (with arts. 3, 4, Sch.)