PART VI Mental Disorder

F1Assessment orders

52BProsecutor’s power to apply for assessment order

(1)

Where—

(a)

a person has been charged with an offence;

(b)

a relevant disposal has not been made in the proceedings in respect of the offence; and

(c)

it appears to the prosecutor that the person has a mental disorder,

the prosecutor may apply to the court for an order under section 52D(2) of this Act (in this Act referred to as an “assessment order”) in respect of that person.

(2)

Where the prosecutor applies for an assessment order under subsection (1) above, the prosecutor shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after making the application, inform the persons mentioned in subsection (3) below of the making of the application.

(3)

Those persons are—

(a)

the person in respect of whom the application is made;

(b)

any solicitor acting for the person; and

(c)

in a case where the person is F2remanded in custody, the Scottish Ministers.

(4)

In this section—

court” means any court, other than a F3JP court, competent to deal with the case; and

relevant disposal” means—

(a)

the liberation in due course of law of the person charged;

(b)

the desertion of summary proceedings pro loco et tempore or simpliciter;

(c)

the desertion of solemn proceedings simpliciter;

(d)

the acquittal of the person charged; or

(e)

the conviction of the person charged.