Crime (Sentences) Act 1997

[F1 31A Imprisonment or detention for public protection: termination of licences E+W

(1) This section applies to a prisoner who—

(a) is serving one or more preventive sentences, and

(b) is not serving any other life sentence.

(2) Where—

(a) the prisoner has been released on licence under this Chapter; and

(b) the qualifying period has expired,

the Secretary of State shall, if directed to do so by the Parole Board, order that the licence is to cease to have effect.

(3) Where—

(a) the prisoner has been released on licence under this Chapter;

(b) the qualifying period has expired; and

(c) if he has made a previous application under this subsection, a period of at least twelve months has expired since the disposal of that application,

the prisoner may make an application to the Parole Board under this subsection.

(4) Where an application is made under subsection (3) above, the Parole Board—

(a) shall, if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the licence should remain in force, direct the Secretary of State to make an order that the licence is to cease to have effect;

(b) shall otherwise dismiss the application.

(5) In this section—

• “preventive sentence” means a sentence of imprisonment for public protection under section 225 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 or a sentence of detention for public protection under section 226 of that Act [F2 (including such a sentence of imprisonment [F3 or detention in a young offender institution] or detention passed as a result of section 219 or 221 of the Armed Forces Act 2006)];

• “the qualifying period”, in relation to a prisoner who has been released on licence, means the period of ten years beginning with the date of his release.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 31A inserted (4.4.2005) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), s. 336(3)(4), Sch. 18 para. 2; S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 40 (with Sch. 2) (as explained (29.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/2122, art. 2; and as amended: (14.7.2008) by 2008 c. 4, Sch. 26 para. 78, Sch. 28 Pt. 2; S.I. 2008/1586, Sch. 1 paras. 48(s), 50(2)(d); (30.11.2009) by S.I. 2009/3111, art. 2; (3.12.2012) by S.I. 2012/2905, art. 4; (3.12.2012) by 2012 c. 10, Sch. 14 para. 17; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l))

F2 Words in s. 31A(5) inserted (28.3.2009 for specified purposes, 31.10.2009 in so far as not already in force) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), s. 383(2), Sch. 16 para. 141; S.I. 2009/812, art. 3(a)(b) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4

F3 Words in s. 31A(5) inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), ss. 117(10)(a), 151(1) (with Sch. 15); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(d)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 31A(4) applied (22.7.2019) by The Parole Board Rules 2019 (S.I. 2019/1038), rules 1, 31(4)