22.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), in any case where Article 21(1) applies and the offender is or appears to be mentally disordered, the court shall obtain and consider a medical report before passing a custodial sentence other than one fixed by law.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply if, in the circumstances of the case, the court is of the opinion that it is unnecessary to obtain a medical report.
(3) Before passing a custodial sentence other than one fixed by law on an offender who is or appears to be mentally disordered, a court shall consider—
(a)any information before it which relates to his mental condition (whether given in a medical report, a pre-sentence report or otherwise); and
(b)the likely effect of such a sentence on that condition and on any treatment which may be available for it.
(4) No custodial sentence which is passed in a case to which paragraph (1) applies shall be invalidated by the failure of a court to comply with that paragraph, but any court on an appeal against such a sentence—
(a)shall obtain a medical report if none was obtained by the court below; and
(b)shall consider any such report obtained by it or by that court.
(5) In this Article “medical report” means a report as to an offender’s mental condition made or submitted orally or in writing by a registered medical practitioner appointed by the Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland for the purposes of Part II of the [1986 NI 4.] Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.
(6) Nothing in this Article shall be taken as prejudicing the generality of Article 21.