131 Trial and punishment of offences under this Act notwithstanding offender ceasing to be subject to this Act.F5U.K.
(1)Subject to the provisions of the next following section, where an offence under this Act triable by court-martial has been committed, or is reasonably suspected of having been committed, by any person while subject to air-force law, then in relation to that offence he shall be treated, for the purposes of the provisions of this Act relating to arrest, keeping in custody, investigation of charges, [F1summary dealing with charges] trial and punishment by court-martial (including F2. . ., review, F3 . . . and suspension) and execution of sentences as continuing subject to air-force law notwithstanding his ceasing at any time to be subject thereto.
(2)Where, while a person is in air-force or military custody by virtue of this section (whether before, during or after trial) he commits, or is reasonably suspected of having committed, an offence which if he were subject to air-force law would be an offence under this Act triable by court-martial, then in relation to that offence or suspected offence he shall be treated, for the purposes of the provisions of this Act mentioned in the last foregoing subsection F4, as having been subject to air-force law when the offence was committed or is suspected of having been committed and as continuing subject to air-force law thereafter.
(3)Where by virtue of either of the two last foregoing subsections a person is treated as being at any time subject to air-force law for the purpose of any provision of this Act, that provision shall apply to him—
(a)if he holds any air-force rank, as to a person having that rank;
(b)if he holds any naval or military rank or rating, as to a person having the corresponding air-force rank;
(c)otherwise as to a person having the rank which he had when last actually subject to air-force law:
Provided that as respects any time after he has been sentenced for the offence in question F2. . .the said provision shall apply to him (in any case) as to an airman.
(4)Where apart from this subsection any provision of this Act would under the last foregoing subsection apply to a person, in relation to different offences, as to a person having different ranks, it shall apply to him as to a person having the lower or lowest of those ranks.
Textual Amendments
F1Words inserted by Armed Forces Act 1981 (c. 55), s. 6(2)(4)
F2Words in s. 131(1) and the proviso to s. 131(3) repealed (1.4.1997) by 1996 c. 46, s. 35(2), Sch. 7 Pt. II; S.I. 1997/304, art. 2 (with art. 3, Sch. 2)
F3Word in s. 131(1) repealed (1.1.1992) by Armed Forces Act 1991 (c. 62, SIF 7:1), s. 26(1)(2), Sch. 2 para. 11(1), Sch. 3; S.I. 1991/2719, art. 2, Sch.
F4Word repealed by Armed Forces Act 1981 (c. 55), Sch. 5 Pt. II
Textual Amendments applied to the whole legislation
F5Act: the provisions of the 1955 Acts providing for findings of courts-martial to be subject to confirmation and to revision at the direction of the confirming officer cease to have effect (1.4.1997 subject to art. 3 of the commencing S.I.) by virtue of 1996 c. 46, s. 15; S.I. 1997/304, arts. 2, 3, Sch. 2