(1)Subject to the provisions of this Act, where a person of or over 16 years of age is convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment, other than an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law, the court may, instead of imposing on him a sentence of, or including, imprisonment or any other form of detention, make an order (in this Act referred to as “a community service order”) requiring him to perform unpaid work for such number of hours (being in total not less than [F180 nor more than 300 on conviction on indictment, and not less than 80 nor more than 240 in any other case]) as may be specified in the order.
(2)A court shall not make a community service order in respect of any offender unless—
(a)the offender consents;
(b)the court has been notified by the Secretary of State that arrangements exist for persons who reside in the locality in which the offender resides, or will be residing when the order comes into force, to perform work under such an order;
(c)the court is satisfied, after considering a report by an officer of a local authority about the offender and his circumstances, and, if the court thinks it necessary, hearing that officer, that the offender is a suitable person to perform work under such an order; and
(d)the court is satisfied that provision can be made under the arrangements mentioned in paragraph (b) above for the offender to perform work under such an order.
(3)A copy of the report mentioned in subsection (2)(c) above shall be supplied to the offender or his solicitor.
(4)Before making a community service order the court shall explain to the offender in ordinary language—
(a)the purpose and effect of the order and in particular the obligations on the offender as specified in subsections (1) to (3) of section 239 of this Act;
(b)the consequences which may follow under subsections (4) to (6) of that section if he fails to comply with any of those requirements; and
(c)that the court has under section 240 of this Act the power to review the order on the application either of the offender or of an officer of the local authority in whose area the offender for the time being resides.
(5)The Secretary of State may by order direct that subsection (1) above shall be amended by substituting, for the maximum or minimum number of hours specified in that subsection as originally enacted or as subsequently amended under this subsection, such number of hours as may be specified in the order; and an order under this subsection may specify a different maximum or minimum number of hours for different classes of case.
(6)An order under subsection (5) above shall be made by statutory instrument, but no such order shall be made unless a draft of it has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament; and any such order may be varied or revoked by a subsequent order under that subsection.
(7)Nothing in subsection (1) above shall be construed as preventing a court which makes a community service in respect of any offence from—
(a)imposing any disqualification on the offender;
(b)making an order for forfeiture in respect of the offence;
(c)ordering the offender to find caution for good behaviour.
(8)A community service order shall—
(a)specify the locality in which the offender resides or will be residing when the order comes into force;
(b)require the local authority in whose area the locality specified under paragraph (a) above is situated to appoint or assign an officer (referred to in this section and sections 239 to 245 of this Act as “the local authority officer”) who will discharge the functions assigned to him by those sections; and
(c)state the number of hours of work which the offender is required to perform.
(9)Where, whether on the same occasion or on separate occasions, an offender is made subject to more than one community service order, or to both a community service order and a probation order which includes a requirement that that offender shall perform any unpaid work, the court may direct that the hours of work specified in any of those orders shall be concurrent with or additional to those specified in any other of those orders, but so that at no time shall the offender have an outstanding number of hours of work to perform in excess of the maximum provided for in subsection (1) above.
(10)Upon making a community service order the court shall—
(a)give, or send by registered post or the recorded delivery service, a copy of the order to the offender;
(b)send a copy of the order to the chief social work officer of the local authority in whose area the offender resides or will be residing when the order comes into force; and
(c)where it is not the appropriate court, send a copy of the order (together with such documents and information relating to the case as are considered useful) to the clerk of the appropriate court.
(11)Where a copy of a community service order has, under subsection (10)(a) above, been sent by registered post or by the recorded delivery service, an acknowledgement or certificate of delivery of a letter containing the copy order issued by [F2postal operator]the shall be sufficient evidence of the delivery of the letter on the day specified in such acknowledgement or certificate.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 238(1) substituted (18.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1938, art. 3
F2Words in s. 238(11) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 104(6) (subject to art. 1(3))