Army Act 1955 (repealed)

[F1 Deferment of award of sentence]F2 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 5A para. 2A inserted by Armed Forces Act 1986 (c. 21, SIF 7:1), s. 9(1)

Textual Amendments applied to the whole legislation

F2 Act: the provisions of the 1955 Acts providing for findings of courts-martial to be subject to confirmation and to revision at the direction of the confirming officer cease to have effect (1.4.1997 subject to art. 3 of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of 1996 c. 46, s. 15; S.I. 1997/304, arts. 2, 3, Sch. 2

2A (1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, where a civilian is found guilty of an offence by aStanding Civilian Court, the Standing Civilian Court may defer the award of sentence against him for thepurpose of enabling the Standing Civilian Court, or any other court to which it falls to deal with him, tohave regard, in dealing with him, to his conduct after conviction (including, where appropriatate, themaking by him of reparation for his offence) or to any change in his circumstances.

(2) Any deferment under this paragraph shall be until such date as may be specified by the Standing CivilianCourt being a date not more than six months after the date on which the Standing Civilian Court announcesthe deferment; and where the award of sentence against an offender has been deferred on one occasion, itshall not be further deferred.

(3) The power conferred by this paragraph shall be exercisable only if the offender consents and theStanding Civilian Court is satisfied, having regard to the nature of the offence and the character andcircumstances of the offender, that it would be in the interests of justice to exercise the power.

(4) A Standing Civilian Court which has deferred the award of sentence against an offender may deal withhim at a time when the period of deferment has not expired if—

(a) he is during that period found guilty of an offence by a court-martial under any of the Services Actsor by a Standing Civilian Court; or

(b) such conditions as may be specified for the purposes of this paragraph in an order under paragraph 12of Schedule 3 to the Armed Forces Act M1 1976 (proceedings in StandingCivilian Courts) are satisfied in relation to him.

(5) Without prejudice to sub-paragraph (4) above, where a Standing Civilian Court has deferred the awardof sentence against an offender in respect of one or more offences and the offender is, during the periodof the deferment, found guilty of an offence (“the subsequent offence”) by a court-martialunder any of the Services Acts or by a Standing Civilian Court, then, subject to subsection (6) below, thecourt which (whether during that period or not) deals with the offender for the subsequent offence may also,if this has not already been done, deal with him for the offence or offences in respect of which the awardof sentence was deferred.

(6) Subject to sub-paragraph (7) below, the power of a court under this paragraph to deal with an offenderfor an offence in respect of which the award of sentence has been deferred shall be a power to deal withhim in any way in which the Standing Civilian Court which deferred the award of sentence could have dealtwith him for that offence.

(7) In a case falling within sub-paragraph (5) above a court-martial which awards a sentence of imprisonmentor a sentence under a custodial order for the subsequent offence may (subject to the application to theaggregate of the sentences of any limit imposed by, or by any provision corresponding to, section 85 of thisAct or paragraph 10(1A) below) order that the sentence shall begin to run from the expiry of any sentencewhich, being a sentence of imprisonment or a sentence under a custodial order, is awarded for the offenceor offences in respect of which the award of sentence was deferred.

(8) Where a Standing Civilian Court has deferred the award of sentence against an offender, the Court orthe directing officer may order the offender’s arrest either—

(a) in order to secure the offender’s appearance on the day specified by the Standing Civilian Courtas the day on which it proposes to deal with him (including a day before the end of the period ofdeferment); or

(b) where the offender has failed to appear on a day so specified.

(9) Where the arrest of an offender has been ordered under sub-paragraph (8) above, then, whether or notthe offender continues to be subject to service law—

(a) he may be arrested—

(i) by a provost officer; or

(ii) by any warrant officer or non-commissioned officer legally exercising authority under or on behalf ofa provost officer; or

(iii) by order of any officer of the regular forces or of the regular air force (within the meaning of theAir Force Act M2 1955); and

(b) a warrant for the offender’s arrest may be issued to any officer or officers of police by thedirecting officer or by any superior officer or authority.

(10) A warrant under sub-paragraph (9)(b) above shall specify the name of the person for whosearrest it is issued and shall refer to the order of the Standing Civilian Court or directing officer thatthat person be arrested.

(11) A person arrested under this paragraph shall be delivered into military or air force custody and maybe kept in such custody until his appearance before the Standing Civilian Court which deferred the awardof sentence against him.

(12) Where under this section an officer of police delivers a person into military or air force custody,there shall be handed over with him a certificate which shall—

(a) be in such form as may be specified by order under paragraph 12 of Schedule 3 to the Armed Forces Act M3 1976;

(b) be signed by that officer of police; and

(c) state the fact, date, time and place of arrest;

and such a certificate shall for the purposes of this Act be evidence of the matters stated therein.

(13) In this paragraph “the directing officer”, in relation to an offender, means the higherauthority by whom the offender was sent for trial for the offence in respect of which the award of sentencewas deferred, or any officer for the time being discharging the functions of that authority.

Marginal Citations

M1 1976 c.52 (7:1).

M2 1955 c.19 (7:1).

M3 1976 c.52 (7:1).