PART 2SENTENCING

CHAPTER 2CUSTODIAL SENTENCES

Length of custodial sentencesI17

1

This Article applies where a court passes a sentence—

a

of imprisonment for a determinate term;

b

of detention in a young offenders centre;

c

of detention under Article 14(5);

F2ca

of detention under Article 15A(5); or

d

of detention under Article 45(2) of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (NI 9).

2

Subject to F3Articles F413A, 14 and 15A and the statutory provisions mentioned in paragraph (3), the sentence shall be for such term (not exceeding the permitted maximum) as in the opinion of the court is commensurate with the seriousness of the offence, or the combination of the offence and one or more offences associated with it.

3

The statutory provisions referred to in paragraph (2) are—

a

Article 70(2) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (NI 3);

b

paragraph 2(4) or (5) of Schedule 2 to the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38);

F1c

section 7(2) of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.