Legislation – Sentencing Act 2026

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Part 2Management of offenders after sentencing

Sentences of imprisonment or detention for public protection

42Imprisonment or detention for public protection: termination of licences

(1)

The Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 is amended as follows.

(2)

In section 31A (imprisonment or detention for public protection: termination of licences)—

(a)

after subsection (3) insert—

“(3A)

Where—

(a)

the prisoner has been released on licence under this Chapter (whether or not the prisoner has subsequently been recalled to prison under section 32),

(b)

the qualifying period has expired,

(c)

the prisoner’s licence has remained in force for a continuous period of one year beginning not before the qualifying period expired, and

(d)

the prisoner requests that the Secretary of State refer their case to the Parole Board,

the Secretary of State must refer the prisoner’s case to the Board under this subsection.

(3B)

Only one request may be made under subsection (3A)(d) in any continuous period during which the prisoner’s licence remains in force.”;

(b)

in subsection (4), after “(3)” insert “or (3A)”;

(c)

in subsection (4D), for the words from “The reference under” to “that subsection” substitute “A reference under subsection (3) or (3A) must not be made, and a reference under either of those subsections”;

(d)

in subsection (4E)(a), after “(3)” insert “or (3A)”;

(e)

in subsection (5), in the definition of “the qualifying period”, for the words from “means—” to the end of the definition substitute “means the period of two years beginning with the date of the prisoner’s release.”;

(f)

in subsection (6)—

(i)

omit “paragraph (a) or (b) of”;

(ii)

after “the definition of “the qualifying period”” insert “in relation to—

(a)

a prisoner who was not at any time, in the period specified in the regulations beginning with the date of the prisoner’s release, serving any preventive sentence in respect of an offence for which the prisoner was convicted when aged 18 or over;

(b)

any other prisoner.”

(3)

In section 32 (recall of life prisoners while on licence), in subsection (5C), after “for the purposes of” insert “paragraph (c) of section 31A(3A) (referral to Parole Board) or”.

(4)

In section 32ZZA (imprisonment or detention for public protection: powers in relation to release of recalled prisoners), in subsection (4), after “for the purposes of” insert “paragraph (c) of section 31A(3A) (referral to Parole Board) or”.