24 Committal of children to custody in place of safety.S
(1)Any court, on remanding or committing for trial a child who is not liberated on bail shall, instead of committing him to prison, commit him to the local authority in whose area the court is situated to be detained in a place of safety chosen by the local authority for the period for which he is remanded or until he is liberated in due course of law.
Provided that in the case of a child over 14 years of age it shall not be obligatory on the court so to commit him if the court certifies that he is of so unruly a character that he cannot safely be so committed or that he is of so depraved a character that he is not a fit person to be so detained [F1; but the court shall not so certify a child unless such conditions as the Secretary of State ma y by order made by statutory instrument prescribe are satisfied in relation to the child.]
(2)A commitment under this section may be varied, or, in the case of a child over 14 years of age, who proves to be of so unruly a character that he cannot safely be detained in such custody, or to be of so depraved a character that he is not a fit person to be so detained, revoked, by the court which made the order, or if application cannot conveniently be made to that court, by a sheriff sitting summarily having jurisdiction in the place where the court which made the order sat, and if it is revoked the child may be committed to prison [F2; but a commitment shall not be so revoked unless conditions as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument prescribe are satisfied in relation to the child.]
Textual Amendments
F1Words added (prosp.) by Children Act 1975 (c. 72, SIF 42:9, 10), ss. 70(a), 108(2)
F2Words added (prosp.) by Children Act 1975 (c. 72, SIF 42:9, 10), ss. 70(b), 108(2)