Criminal Justice Act 1991

40 Convictions during currency of original sentences

(1) This section applies to a short-term or long-term prisoner who is released under this Part if—

(a) before the date on which he would (but for his release) have served his sentence in full, he commits an offence punishable with imprisonment; and

(b) whether before or after that date, he is convicted of that offence (“the new offence”).

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, the court by or before which a person to whom this section applies is convicted of the new offence may, whether or not it passes any other sentence on him, order him to be returned to prison for the whole or any part of the period which—

(a) begins with the date of the order; and

(b) is equal in length to the period between the date on which the new offence was committed and the date mentioned in subsection (1) above.

(3) A magistrates' court—

(a) shall not have power to order a person to whom this section applies to be returned to prison for a period of more than six months; but

(b) may commit him in custody or on bail to the Crown Court for sentence in accordance with section 42 of the 1973 Act (power of Crown Court to sentence persons convicted by magistrates' courts of indictable offences).

(4) The period for which a person to whom this section applies is ordered under subsection (2) above to be returned to prison—

(a) shall be taken to be a sentence of imprisonment for the purposes of this Part;

(b) shall, as the court may direct, either be served before and be followed by, or be served concurrently with, the sentence imposed for the new offence; and

(c) in either case, shall be disregarded in determining the appropriate length of that sentence.