Sentencing Act 2020

Committal for sentence following indication of guilty plea

18 Committal for sentence on indication of guilty plea to offence triable either way: adult offenders

(1) Where a magistrates’ court—

(a) has convicted an offender aged 18 or over of an offence triable either way following an indication of a guilty plea, and

(b) has sent the offender to the Crown Court for trial for one or more related offences,

it may commit the offender in custody or on bail to the Crown Court to be dealt with in respect of the offence in accordance with section 21(2).

(2) For offences in relation to which subsection (1) does not apply, see section 17D of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (cases where value involved is small).

(3) Where a magistrates’ court—

(a) convicts an offender aged 18 or over of an offence triable either way following an indication of a guilty plea, and

(b) is still to determine to send, or whether to send, the offender to the Crown Court for trial under section 51 or 51A of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, for one or more related offences,

it must adjourn the proceedings relating to the offence until after it has made those determinations.

(4) Where the court—

(a) commits the offender under subsection (1) to the Crown Court to be dealt with in respect of the offence, and

(b) in its opinion also has power under section 14(2) or is required under section 15(2) to commit the offender to the Crown Court to be dealt with in respect of the offence,

the court may make a statement of that opinion.

(5) For powers of the court, where it commits a person under subsection (1), also to commit in respect of other offences, see section 20.

(6) For the purposes of this section, a magistrates’ court convicts a person of an offence triable either way following an indication of a guilty plea if—

(a) the person appears or is brought before the court on an information charging the person with the offence,

(b) the person or (where applicable) the person’s representative indicates under—

(i) section 17A or 17B of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (indication of intention as to plea in case of offence triable either way), or

(ii) section 20(7) of that Act (summary trial appears more suitable),

that the person would plead guilty if the offence were to proceed to trial, and

(c) proceeding as if—

(i) section 9(1) of that Act were complied with, and

(ii) the person pleaded guilty under it,

the court convicts the person of the offence.

(7) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “related offence” means an offence which, in the opinion of the court, is related to the offence, and

(b) one offence is related to another if, were they both to be prosecuted on indictment, the charges for them could be joined in the same indictment.

(8) In doing anything under or contemplated by this section, the court is not bound by any indication of sentence given in respect of the offence under section 20 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (procedure where summary trial appears more suitable).

(9) Nothing the court does under this section may be challenged or be the subject of any appeal in any court on the ground that it is inconsistent with an indication of sentence.

19 Committal for sentence on indication of guilty plea by child with related offences

(1) Where—

(a) a magistrates’ court—

(i) has convicted a person aged under 18 of an offence following an indication of a guilty plea, and

(ii) has sent the person to the Crown Court for trial for one or more related offences, and

(b) the offence falls within paragraph (a) or (b) of the table in section 249(1) (offences punishable with imprisonment for 14 years or more and certain sexual offences),

the court may commit the offender in custody or on bail to the Crown Court to be dealt with in respect of the offence in accordance with section 22(2).

(2) Where a magistrates’ court—

(a) convicts a person aged under 18 of an offence mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of the table in section 249(1) following an indication of a guilty plea, and

(b) is still to determine to send, or whether to send, the person to the Crown Court for trial under section 51 or 51A of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 for one or more related offences,

it must adjourn the proceedings relating to the offence until after it has made those determinations.

(3) Where the court—

(a) commits the offender under subsection (1) to the Crown Court to be dealt with in respect of the offence, and

(b) in its opinion, also has power so to commit the offender under section 16(2) or 17(2),

the court may make a statement of that opinion.

(4) For powers of the court, where it commits a person under subsection (1), also to commit in respect of other offences, see section 20.

(5) For the purposes of this section, a magistrates’ court convicts a person aged under 18 of an offence following an indication of a guilty plea if—

(a) the person appears or is brought before the court when aged under 18 on an information charging the person with the offence,

(b) the person or the person’s representative indicates under section 24A or 24B of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (child or young person to indicate intention as to plea in certain cases) that the person would plead guilty if the offence were to proceed to trial, and

(c) proceeding as if—

(i) section 9(1) of that Act were complied with, and

(ii) the person pleaded guilty under it,

the court convicts the person of the offence.

(6) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “related offence” means an offence which, in the opinion of the court, is related to the offence, and

(b) one offence is related to another if, were they both to be prosecuted on indictment, the charges for them could be joined in the same indictment.