Criminal Appeal Act 1968

[F1 6 Substitution of finding of insanity or findings of unfitness to plead etc. E+W

(1) This section applies where, on an appeal against conviction, the Court of Appeal, 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 proper verdict would have been one of not guilty by reason of insanity; or

(b) that the case is not one where there should have been a verdict of acquittal, but there should have been findings that the accused was under a disability and that he did the act or made the omission charged against him.

[F2 (2) The Court of Appeal shall make in respect of the accused—

(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 court have power to make a hospital order,

the 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) Section 5A of the Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964 (“the 1964 Act”) applies in relation to this section as it applies in relation to section 5 of that Act.

F3 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6) Where the Court of Appeal make a supervision order by virtue of this section, any power of revoking or amending it shall be exercisable as if the order had been made by the court below.

(7) In this section—

“hospital order” has the meaning given in section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983;

F4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“restriction order” has the meaning given to it by section 41 of that Act;

“supervision order” has the meaning given in Part 1 of Schedule 1A to the 1964 Act.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 6 substituted (1.1.1992) by Criminal Procedure (Insanity and Unfitness to Plead) Act 1991 (c. 25, SIF 39:1), ss. 4(1), 8; S.I. 1991/2488, art. 2.

F2 S. 6(2)-(7) substituted (31.3.2005) for s. 6(2)(3) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 24(3), 60 (with Sch. 12 para. 8); S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(b)

F3 S. 6(5) repealed (14.7.2008) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), s. 153(7), Sch. 8 para. 7(a), Sch. 28 Pt. 3; S.I. 2008/1586, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 paras. 26, 50(3)(a) (with Sch. 2 para. 5)

F4 Words in s. 6(7) repealed (14.7.2008) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), s. 153(7), Sch. 8 para. 7(a), Sch. 28 Pt. 3; S.I. 2008/1586, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 paras. 26, 50(3)(a) (with Sch. 2 para. 5)