Part 12Sentencing

Chapter 1General provisions about sentencing

Matters to be taken into account in sentencing

142Purposes of sentencing

1

Any court dealing with an offender in respect of his offence must have regard to the following purposes of sentencing—

a

the punishment of offenders,

b

the reduction of crime (including its reduction by deterrence),

c

the reform and rehabilitation of offenders,

d

the protection of the public, and

e

the making of reparation by offenders to persons affected by their offences.

2

Subsection (1) does not apply—

a

in relation to an offender who is aged under 18 at the time of conviction,

b

to an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law,

c

to an offence the sentence for which falls to be imposed under section 51A(2) of the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27) (minimum sentence for certain firearms offences), under subsection (2) of section 110 or 111 of the Sentencing Act (required custodial sentences) or under any of sections 225 to 228 of this Act (dangerous offenders), or

d

in relation to the making under Part 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20) of a hospital order (with or without a restriction order), an interim hospital order, a hospital direction or a limitation direction.

3

In this Chapter “sentence”, in relation to an offence, includes any order made by a court when dealing with the offender in respect of his offence; and “sentencing” is to be construed accordingly.