xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"

Part 12 U.K.Sentencing

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Chapter 5E+WDangerous offenders

225Life sentence or imprisonment for public protection for serious offencesE+W

(1)This section applies where—

(a)a person aged 18 or over is convicted of a serious offence committed after the commencement of this section, and

(b)the court is of the opinion that there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm occasioned by the commission by him of further specified offences.

(2)If—

(a)the offence is one in respect of which the offender would apart from this section be liable to imprisonment for life, and

(b)the court considers that the seriousness of the offence, or of the offence and one or more offences associated with it, is such as to justify the imposition of a sentence of imprisonment for life,

the court must impose a sentence of imprisonment for life.

[F1(3)In a case not falling within subsection (2), the court may impose a sentence of imprisonment for public protection if the condition in subsection (3A) or the condition in subsection (3B) is met.

(3A)The condition in this subsection is that, at the time the offence was committed, the offender had been convicted of an offence specified in Schedule 15A.

(3B)The condition in this subsection is that the notional minimum term is at least two years.

(3C)The notional minimum term is the part of the sentence that the court would specify under section 82A(2) of the Sentencing Act (determination of tariff) if it imposed a sentence of imprisonment for public protection but was required to disregard the matter mentioned in section 82A(3)(b) of that Act (crediting periods of remand).]

(4)A sentence of imprisonment for public protection is a sentence of imprisonment for an indeterminate period, subject to the provisions of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 (c. 43) as to the release of prisoners and duration of licences.

(5)An offence the sentence for which is imposed under this section is not to be regarded as an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law.

Textual Amendments

F1S. 225(3)-(3C) substituted (14.7.2008) for s. 225(3) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 13(1), 153; S.I. 2008/1586, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 4, (subject to art. 2(3), Sch. 2 para. 2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2S. 225 applied (with modifications) (28.3.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 31.10.2009) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), ss. 219, 383 (with s. 385) (as amended (31.10.2009) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 145, 153, Sch. 25 para. 13; S.I. 2009/1028, art. 2); S.I. 2009/812, art. 3 (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4

Commencement Information

I1S. 225 wholly in force at 4.4.2005, see s. 336(3) and S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 18 (subject to art. 2(2), Sch. 2)