Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022

126 Whole life orders for young adult offenders in exceptional cases

(1) The Sentencing Code is amended as follows.

(2) In section 321 (orders to be made on passing life sentence)—

(a) in subsection (3)(a), for the words from “the offender” to “committed” substitute “the case is within subsection (3A) or (3B)”;

(b) after subsection (3) insert—

“(3A) A case is within this subsection if the offender was aged 21 or over when the offence was committed.

(3B) A case is within this subsection if—

(a) the offence was committed on or after the day on which section 126 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 came into force, and

(b) the offender was aged 18 or over but under 21 when the offence was committed.

(3C) In a case within subsection (3B), the court may arrive at the opinion set out in subsection (3)(b) only if it considers that the seriousness of the offence, or combination of offences, is exceptionally high even by the standard of offences which would normally result in a whole life order in a case within subsection (3A).”

(3) In section 322 (further provision about mandatory life sentences), in subsection (3)(a), after “321(3)” insert “or (3C)”.