http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2016/18/section/177Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016An Act to make new provision relating to persons who lack capacity; to make provision about the powers of criminal courts in respect of persons with disorder; to disapply Part 2 of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 in relation to persons aged 16 or over and make other amendments of that Order; to make provision in connection with the Convention on the International Protection of Adults signed at the Hague on 13th January 2000; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2022-07-25Expert Participation2022-04-01 Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016s. 177(2)Coronavirus Act 2020Sch. 11 para. 14s. 88-90 Sch. 11 para. 2s. 87(2)Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016s. 285(2)(a)-(c)Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022Sch. 3 para. 77(b)s. 160(1) PART 10 CHAPTER 21771This section applies where—aa person is convicted before the Crown Court of an offence punishable with imprisonment, other than an offence for which the sentence is fixed by law; orba person is convicted by a court of summary jurisdiction of an offence punishable on summary conviction with imprisonment.2If the conditions in subsection (3) are met the court may, before—amaking a public protection order,bpassing a custodial sentence with a hospital direction, orcdealing with the offender in some other way,make an order which requires that the offender be admitted to a hospital specified in the order and detained there in accordance with section 178.3The conditions are—athat the court is satisfied on the required medical evidence—ithat there is an impairment of, or disturbance in the functioning of, the offender's mind or brain; andiithat appropriate care or treatment is available for the offender in the hospital;bthat there is reason to suppose that the most suitable way of dealing with the case may be—ito make a public protection order; oriito pass a custodial sentence and give a hospital direction;cthat the court is satisfied on the written or oral evidence of a person representing the managing authority of the hospital that arrangements have been made for the offender's detention in the hospital in pursuance of the order.4The court may regard the condition in subsection (3)(b)as met only if—ait considers that a custodial sentence is not, or may not be, appropriate but is satisfied on the required medical evidence that there is reason to suppose that the conditions in section 168(2)(c) and (d) may be met; orbit considers that a custodial sentence is appropriate and is satisfied on the required medical evidence that there is reason to suppose that the condition in section 175(2)(b) may be met.5In this section “the required medical evidence” means the written or oral evidence of at least two medical practitioners, including the oral evidence of an approved medical practitioner.6In this Part “interim detention order” means an order under this section.