InsanityU.K.
21 Appeal against finding of not guilty by reason of insanity.U.K.
(1)A person who has been tried by [court-martial] [the Court Martial] for an offence and been found not guilty by reason of insanity may, with the leave of the Appeal Court, appeal to the Court against the finding[; and in relation to any such appeal this Part of this Act, except [section 8(2) and] sections 13 to 16, shall apply, subject to this section and section 22 below, as it applies in relation to an appeal by a person convicted against his conviction (with the necessary adaptations of references to a person convicted or to conviction).]
[(1A)On an appeal under this section the Appeal Court—
(a)shall (subject to subsection (2)) allow the appeal if they think the finding is unsafe; and
(b)shall dismiss the appeal in any other case.
(1B)Sections 19 and 20 and paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 apply in relation to appeals under this section as they apply in relation to appeals against conviction (and references there to conviction, and to related expressions, are to be read accordingly).]
(2)Where apart from this subsection—
(a)an appeal against a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity would fall to be allowed; and
(b)none of the grounds for allowing it relates to the question of the insanity of the appellant,
the Appeal Court may dismiss the appeal if they are of [the] opinion that but for the insanity of the appellant the proper finding would have been that he was guilty of an offence other than the offence charged.
Textual Amendments
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
22 Consequences where appeal under s. 21 allowed.U.K.
(1)The following provisions shall have effect where an appeal against a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity is allowed by the Appeal Court.
(2)If the ground, or one of the grounds, for allowing the appeal is that the finding as to the appellant’s insanity ought not to stand and the Appeal Court are of [the] opinion that the proper finding would have been a finding of guilty of an offence (whether the offence charged or any other offence of which the [court-martial] [Court Martial] could have found him guilty), the Court shall substitute for the finding of the [court-martial] [Court Martial] a finding of guilty of that offence.
(3)On substituting a finding of guilty of an offence, the Appeal Court shall have the like powers of sentencing the appellant, and other powers, as the [court-martial which tried him] [Court Martial] would have had on the like finding of guilty; and section 17 of this Act shall apply as in the case of a sentence passed by the Court under [section 13, 14 or 15 of this Act] [a provision mentioned in section 17(1)].
[(4)[Subject to section 23 below,] in any case where subsection (2) above does not apply, the Appeal Court shall substitute for the finding appealed against a finding of not guilty.]
[(3A)If the Appeal Court, on the written or oral evidence of two or more registered medical practitioners at least one of whom is duly approved, are of the opinion mentioned in section 16(1)(b) (court below ought to have found defendant unfit to stand trial etc)—
(a)the Court shall substitute for the finding of the Court Martial findings that the appellant was unfit to stand trial and that he did the act or made the omission charged against him; and
(b)section 16(2) to (5) apply as they apply for the purposes of section 16.
(3B)Section 172 of the 2006 Act (meaning of “duly approved” etc) applies for the purposes of subsection (3A) (and references there to the defendant are to be read as references to the appellant).
(4)If the case is not within subsection (2) or (3A), the Appeal Court must quash the finding appealed against.
(5)Where the Appeal Court quash a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity, the appellant is to be treated as if he had been acquitted by the Court Martial; but this does not apply if an order under section 19 authorising the appellant to be retried is made.]
Textual Amendments
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
[23Substitution of findings of unfitness to stand trial etc.U.K.
[(1)This section applies where, on an appeal under section 21 of this Act, the Appeal Court, on the written or oral evidence of two or more registered medical practitioners at least one of whom is duly approved, are of opinion that—
(a)the case is not one where there should have been a finding of not guilty; but
(b)there should have been findings that the accused was unfit to stand trial and that he did the act or made the omission charged against him.
(2)The Appeal Court shall make in respect of the appellant—
(a)a hospital order (with or without a restriction order);
(b)a supervision order; or
(c)an order for his absolute discharge.
(3)Where—
(a)the offence to which the appeal relates is an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law, and
(b)the Appeal Court have power to make a hospital order,
the Appeal Court shall make a hospital order with a restriction order (whether or not they would have power to make a restriction order apart from this subsection).
(4)The provisions of, or made under, the sections specified below shall apply (with any necessary modifications) in relation to the Appeal Court as they apply in relation to a court-martial.
The sections are—
(c)where the relevant Service Act is the Army Act, sections 116B to 116D of that Act;
(d)where the relevant Service Act is the Air Force Act, sections 116B to 116D of that Act;
(e)where the relevant Service Act is the Naval Discipline Act, sections 63B to 63D of that Act.
(5)Where the Appeal Court make an interim hospital order by virtue of this section—
(a)the power of renewing or terminating it and of dealing with the appellant on its termination shall be exercisable by a judicial officer and not by the Appeal Court; and
(b)section 38(7) of the Mental Health Act 1983 (absconding offenders) shall have effect as if the reference to the court that made the order were a reference to a judicial officer.
(6)Where the Appeal Court make a supervision order by virtue of this section, any power of revoking or amending it shall be exercisable by a judicial officer and not by the Appeal Court.]]
Prospective
23A Substitution of finding of not guilty.U.K.
(1)This section applies where, in accordance with section 22(4) of this Act, the Appeal Court substitute a finding of not guilty and the Court, on the written or oral evidence of two or more registered medical practitioners at least one of whom is duly approved, are of opinion—
(a)that the appellant is suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree which warrants his detention in a hospital for assessment (or for assessment followed by medical treatment) for at least a limited period; and
(b)that he ought to be so detained in the interests of his own health or safety or with a view to the protection of other persons.
(2)The Appeal Court shall—
(a)in the case of an appellant detained pursuant to an admission order made by a court-martial, make an order for his continued detention;
(b)in any other case, make an order that the appellant be admitted for assessment, in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State, to such hospital as may be specified by the Secretary of State.
(3)An order under subsection (2) above shall be treated as if it had been made by a civil court in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, as the Appeal Court may direct, and the appropriate mental health legislation shall apply accordingly with such modifications as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State.
(4)The power of the Secretary of State under subsections (2)(b) and (3) above to make regulations shall be exercisable by statutory instrument, which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
(5)In this section “hospital” and “mental disorder” have the same meanings as in the appropriate mental health legislation.