Sentencing Act 2020

Extended sentences

279 Extended sentence of imprisonment for certain violent, sexual or terrorism offences: persons 21 or over

An extended sentence of imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment the term of which is equal to the aggregate of—

(a) the appropriate custodial term (see section 281), and

(b) a further period (the “extension period”) for which the offender is to be subject to a licence.

280 Extended sentence of imprisonment: availability

(1) An extended sentence of imprisonment is available in respect of an offence where—

(a) the offence is a specified offence (see section 306(1)),

(b) the offender is aged 21 or over when convicted of the offence,

(c) 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 the offender of further specified offences (see section 308),

(d) the court is not required by section 283 or 285 to impose a sentence of imprisonment for life, and

(e) the earlier offence condition or the 4 year term condition is met.

(2) The pre-sentence report requirements (see section 30) apply to the court in relation to forming the opinion mentioned in subsection (1)(c).

(3) The earlier offence condition is that, when the offence was committed, the offender had been convicted of an offence listed in Schedule 14.

(4) The 4 year term condition is that, if the court were to impose an extended sentence of imprisonment, the term that it would specify as the appropriate custodial term (see section 281) would be at least 4 years.

281 Term of extended sentence of imprisonment

(1) This section applies where the court dealing with an offender for an offence imposes, or is considering whether to impose, an extended sentence of imprisonment under section 279.

(2) The appropriate custodial term is the term of imprisonment that would be imposed in respect of the offence in compliance with section 231(2) (length of discretionary custodial sentences: general provision) if the court did not impose an extended sentence of imprisonment.

(3) The extension period must be a period of such length as the court considers necessary for the purpose of protecting members of the public from serious harm occasioned by the commission by the offender of further specified offences.

This is subject to subsections (4) and (5).

(4) The extension period must—

(a) be at least 1 year, and

(b) not exceed—

(i) 5 years in the case of a specified violent offence;

(ii) 8 years in the case of a specified sexual offence or a specified terrorism offence.

See section 306(2) for the meanings of “specified violent offence”, “specified sexual offence” and “specified terrorism offence”.

(5) The term of the extended sentence of imprisonment must not exceed the maximum term of imprisonment with which the offence is punishable.

282 Extended sentences for offences committed before 4 April 2005

In section 280(1)(a) and section 281(4)(b), references to a specified offence, a specified violent offence, a specified sexual offence and a specified terrorism offence include an offence that—

(a) was abolished before 4 April 2005, and

(b) would have constituted such an offence if committed on the day on which the offender is convicted of the offence.