Sentencing Act 2020

241 The period of detention and training

(1) An offender must serve the period of detention and training under a detention and training order in such youth detention accommodation as may be determined by the Secretary of State.

Release at half-way point

(2) Subject to subsections (3) to (5), the period of detention and training under a detention and training order is half of the term of the order.

Early release on compassionate grounds

(3) The Secretary of State may release the offender at any time if satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist which justify the offender’s release on compassionate grounds.

Release before half-way point

(4) The Secretary of State may release the offender—

(a) in the case of an order for a term of—

(i) 8 months or more, but

(ii) less than 18 months,

at any time during the period of 1 month ending with the half-way point of the term of the order, and

(b) in the case of an order for a term of 18 months or more, at any time during the period of 2 months ending with that point.

Release after half-way point

(5) If a youth court so orders on an application made by the Secretary of State for the purpose, the Secretary of State must release the offender—

(a) in the case of an order for a term of—

(i) 8 months or more, but

(ii) less than 18 months,

1 month after the half-way point of the term of the order, and

(b) in the case of an order for a term of 18 months or more, 1 month or 2 months after that point.

(6) Where—

(a) the court makes an order under subsection (5), and

(b) the offender is also subject to a sentence of any of the following kinds that is to take effect, by virtue of an order to which subsection (7) applies, when the offender would otherwise be released for supervision—

(i) a sentence of detention under section 250,

(ii) a sentence of detention under section 209 of the Armed Forces Act 2006, or

(iii) an extended sentence of detention under section 254 (including one passed as a result of section 221A of the Armed Forces Act 2006),

the order under subsection (5) must be expressed as an order that the period of detention and training attributable to the detention and training order is to end at the time determined under that subsection.

(7) This subsection applies to orders under the following provisions (which provide for sentences of detention to take effect when an offender is released for supervision under a detention and training order)—

(a) section 253(2) (offender under 18: sentence of detention to take effect on release for supervision under detention and training order),

(b) section 257(2) (offender under 18: extended sentence of detention), or

(c) any corresponding provision relating to an order under section 209 of, or made as a result of section 221A of, the Armed Forces Act 2006.

Detention to be legal custody

(8) An offender detained under a detention and training order is deemed to be in legal custody.