Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1968

Section 55.

SCHEDULE 2 Procedural and other Modifications for Capital Cases

Modifications of Part II

1 (1) In the case of a conviction involving sentence of death , the right of appeal conferred by section 8(1) of this Act on the person convicted shall be exercisable without his being required to present a petition to the Defence Council; and accordingly in such a case subsection (2) of that section shall not apply.

(2) In the case of such a conviction, the power of the Appeal Court under section 9(3) of this Act to extend the period within Which an application for leave to appeal must be lodged sha11 not be exercisable.

2 (1) The following shall apply where a conviction by court-martial involves sentence of death.

(2) The sentence shall not in any case be executed until the expiration of the period for appealing under Part II of this Act (that is to say the period prescribed under section 9 as the period within which an application for leave to appeal must be lodged).

(3) Subject to the following paragraph, if such an application is duly lodged, the sentence shall not be executed until either the application is finally refused, or it is withdrawn, or the appeal is determined or abandoned.

3 (1) Where sentence of death passed on a person on active service by an army or air force court-martial is confirmed, and the authority confirming the sentence certifies that it is essential in the interests of discipline and for the purpose of securing the safety of the force with which that person is present that the sentence should be carried out forthwith, paragraph 2 above shall not apply to the sentence.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1) above the expression " on active service "—

(a) in relation to a person subject to military jaw, has the meaning assigned to it by section 224 of the Army Act; and

(b) in relation to a person subject to the Air Force Act, has the meaning assigned to it by section 222 of that Act;

and a person, who is deemed for the purposes of either of those Acts to be on active service shall be deemed also for the purposes of this paragraph to be on active service.

4 Any appeal to the Appeal Court against a conviction involving sentence of death and any application for leave to appeal to the Court against any such conviction shall be heard and determined with as much expedition as practicable.

5 The Appeal Court shall not have power, by virtue of section 22 of this Act, to impose sentence of death ; and where apart from this paragraph a sentence of death would be required by law, the sentence shall (whatever the circumstances) be one of imprisonment for life.

Modifications of Part III

6 In a case involving sentence of death the power of the House of Lords or the Court under section 40 of this Act to extend the time within which an application by the accused for leave to appeal may be made under that section shall not be exercisable.

7 (1) Where, in a case involving sentence of death, an appeal to the Appeal Court is dismissed, the sentence shall not in any case be executed until after the expiration of the time within which an application for leave to appeal to the House of Lords may be made ; and, if such an application is ,duly made, the sentence shall not be executed while that application, and any appeal for which leave is granted thereon, is pending.

(2) In such a case, any application for leave to appeal to the House of Lords and any appeal for which leave is granted on such an application, shall be heard and determined with as much expedition as is practicable.