Criminal Justice Act 2003

246Power to release prisoners on licence before required to do soE+W
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

(1)Subject to subsections (2) to (4), the Secretary of State may—

(a)release on licence under this section a fixed-term prisonerF1... at any time during the period of 135 days ending with the day on which the prisoner will have served the requisite custodial period, F2...

F2(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2)Subsection (1)(a) does not apply in relation to a prisoner unless—

(a)the length of the requisite custodial period is at least 6 weeks, [F3and

(b)he has served—

(i)at least 4 weeks of that period, and

(ii)at least one-half of that period.]

F4(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4)Subsection (1) does not apply where—

(a)the sentence is imposed under section [F5226A,] 227 or 228,

[F6(aa)the sentence is for a term of 4 years or more,]

(b)the sentence is for an offence under section 1 of the Prisoners (Return to Custody) Act 1995 (c. 16),

(c)the prisoner is subject to a hospital order, hospital direction or transfer direction under section 37, 45A or 47 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20),

(d)the sentence was imposed by virtue of paragraph 9(1)(b) or (c) or 10(1)(b) or (c) of Schedule 8 in a case where the prisoner has failed to comply with a curfew requirement of a community order,

(e)the prisoner is subject to the notification requirements of Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42),

(f)the prisoner is liable to removal from the United Kingdom,

(g)the prisoner has been released on licence under this section [F7at any time], and has been recalled to prison under section 255(1)(a) [F8(and the revocation has not been cancelled under section 255(3))],

(h)the prisoner has been released on licence under section 248 during the currency of the sentence, and has been recalled to prison under section 254, F9...

[F10(ha)the prisoner has at any time been returned to prison under section 40 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 or section 116 of the Sentencing Act, or]

(i)in the case of a prisoner [F11to whom section 240ZA applies or a direction under section 240A relates], the interval between the date on which the sentence was passed and the date on which the prisoner will have served the requisite custodial period is less than 14 days F12... .

[F13(4ZA)Where subsection (4)(aa) applies to a prisoner who is serving two or more terms of imprisonment, the reference to the term of the sentence is—

(a)if the terms are partly concurrent, a reference to the period which begins when the first term begins and ends when the last term ends;

(b)if the terms are to be served consecutively, a reference to the aggregate of the terms.]

[F14(4A)In subsection (4)—

(a)the reference in paragraph (d) to a community order includes a service community order or overseas community order under the Armed Forces Act 2006; and

(b)the reference in paragraph (i) to [F15section 240ZA includes] section 246 of that Act.]

(5)The Secretary of State may by order—

(a)amend the number of days for the time being specified in subsection (1)(a) F16... or (4)(i),

(b)amend the number of weeks for the time being specified in subsection (2)(a) or (b)(i), and

(c)amend the fraction for the time being specified in subsection (2)(b)(ii) F17... .

(6)In this section—

  • F18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • “the requisite custodial period” in relation to a person serving any sentence F19... , has the meaning given by [F20paragraph (a) or (b) of section 243A(3) or (as the case may be)] paragraph (a)F19... or (d) of section 244(3);

  • F21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • [F22“term of imprisonment” includes a determinate sentence of detention under section 91 or 96 of the Sentencing Act or under section [F23226A, 226B,] 227 or 228 of this Act.]

Textual Amendments

F3S. 246(2)(b) and word substituted (14.7.2008) for s. 246(2)(b) by Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), ss. 24, 153; S.I. 2008/1586, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 11

F14S. 246(4A) inserted (28.3.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 31.10.2009) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), ss. 378(1), 383, Sch. 16 para. 221; S.I. 2009/812, art. 3 (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4

Commencement Information

I1S. 246 wholly in force at 4.4.2005; s. 246 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 336(3); s. 246(1)(b)(3)(4)(b)-(i)(5)(6) in force for certain purposes at 26.1.2004 by S.I. 2003/3282, art. 2, Sch.; s. 246(5) in force at 7.3.2005 by S.I. 2005/373, art. 2; s. 246 in force in so far as not already in force at 4.4.2005 by S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 19 (subject to art. 2(2), Sch. 2)