The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 No. 1216 (NI. 1)

PART 2 N.I. SENTENCING

CHAPTER 4 N.I. RELEASE ON LICENCE

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 2 Ch. 4 applied (with modifications) by Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984 (c. 47), Sch. para. 2A(4) (as inserted (15.5.2008) by Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1216 (N.I. 1)), arts. 1(4), 102(1), Sch. 5 para. 4(2)); S.R. 2008/217, art. 2, Sch. (with transitory provision in art. 4)

C2 Pt. 2 Ch. 4 applied (29.6.2021) by 1984 c. 47, Sch. para. 2A(4A) (as inserted by Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 (c. 11), s. 50(2)(r), Sch. 11 para. 5)

Power [F1 ...] to release on licence N.I.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in art. 19 cross-heading omitted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 12 (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2) (but this amendment cannot take effect until the commencement of S.I. 2008/1216, art. 19 cross-heading)

Power to release certain prisoners on compassionate grounds N.I.

20.—(1) The [F2 Department of Justice] may, if satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist which justify the release of a prisoner to whom this Article applies on compassionate grounds, at any time release the prisoner on licence under this Article.

(2) This Articles applies to—

(a) a fixed-term prisoner; and

(b) a prisoner serving an indeterminate custodial sentence.

(3) The [F3 Department of Justice] shall, before releasing a prisoner [F4 to whom Article 18 or 20A applies] consult the Parole Commissioners unless the circumstances are such as to render such consultation impracticable.

(4) In this Article “fixed-term prisoner” includes a person serving a determinate custodial sentence for an offence committed before the commencement of this Article.

[F5 (5) The Secretary of State may notify the Department of Justice that a prisoner is not to be released under this Article without the Secretary of State's agreement; and, if the Secretary of State gives such a notification in relation to a prisoner, the Department of Justice may not release the prisoner under this Article without the Secretary of State's agreement.

(6) But the Secretary of State may—

(a) give a notification, or

(b) refuse his agreement to a release,

only if his decision to do so is arrived at (wholly or partly) on the basis of protected information.]

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in art. 20(1) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 16(2) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2) (but this amendment cannot take effect until the commencement of S.I. 2008/1216, art. 20)

F3 Words in art. 20(3) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 16(2) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2) (but this amendment cannot take effect until the commencement of S.I. 2008/1216, art. 20)

F4 Words in art. 20(3) substituted (30.4.2021) by Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 (c. 11), s. 50(1)(i), Sch. 13 para. 74(6)

F5 Art. 20(5)(6) inserted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 16(3) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2) (but this amendment cannot take effect until the commencement of S.I. 2008/1216, art. 20)

Commencement Information

I1 Art. 20 in operation at 1.6.2015 by S.R. 2015/255, art. 2(b)