Part 12 U.K. Sentencing

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 12 modified (28.3.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 31.10.2009) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), ss. 183(4), 383 (as amended (1.4.2008) by The Offender Management Act 2007 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/912), art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 23(2)(b)); S.I. 2009/812, art. 3 (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4

C2 Pt. 12 (ss. 142-305) modified (4.4.2005) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Sentencing) (Transitory Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/643), art. 3 (as amended (E.W.) (3.12.2012) by The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Consequential and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2824), regs. 1, 3(1) (with reg. 3(2)))

Chapter 5 E+W Dangerous offenders

[F1 Life sentences] E+W

Textual Amendments

F1 Cross-heading in Pt. 12 Ch. 5 inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 19 para. 17; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(q)

225 Life sentence F2 ... for serious offences E+W

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a person aged 18 or over is convicted of a serious offence committed after the commencement of this section, and

(b) the court is of the opinion that there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm occasioned by the commission by him of further specified offences.

(2) If—

(a) the offence is one in respect of which the offender would apart from this section be liable to imprisonment for life, and

(b) the court considers that the seriousness of the offence, or of the offence and one or more offences associated with it, is such as to justify the imposition of a sentence of imprisonment for life,

the court must impose a sentence of imprisonment for life.

F3 (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3 (3A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3 (3B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3 (3C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3 (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) An offence the sentence for which is imposed under this section is not to be regarded as an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law.

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in s. 225 omitted (3.12.2012) by virtue of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 21 para. 23; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(s)

F3 S. 225(3)-(4) omitted (3.12.2012) by virtue of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), ss. 123(a), 151(1); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(e) (with art. 6)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 S. 225 applied (with modifications) (28.3.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 31.10.2009) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), ss. 219, 383 (with s. 385) (as amended (31.10.2009) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 145, 153, Sch. 25 para. 13; S.I. 2009/1028, art. 2); S.I. 2009/812, art. 3 (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4

Commencement Information

I1 S. 225 wholly in force at 4.4.2005, see s. 336(3) and S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 18 (subject to art. 2(2), Sch. 2)