Section 20 – Extended sentences
91.Section 20 inserts a new section 210AA into the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. The effect is that, where an accused is convicted on indictment of abduction, other than abduction of a woman or girl with intent to rape or ravish, that conviction is to be treated in the same fashion as a conviction for a violent offence as defined in section 210A of the 1995 Act. As a result, an extended sentence may be passed on an accused convicted on indictment of such an offence of abduction.
92.“Extended sentence” is defined in section 210A of the 1995 Act as a sentence of imprisonment which combines the term of imprisonment (“the custodial term”) which the court imposes on the offender and a further period (“the extension period”) for which the offender is to be subject to a licence.
93.A court may impose an extended sentence on a person convicted on indictment of a sexual or violent offence if it considers that the period (if any) which the offender would have otherwise been subject to a licence would not be adequate for the purpose of protecting the public from serious harm from the offender. Extended sentences are available to the court for a sexual offence (as defined in section 210A(10)) for which a determinate sentence of imprisonment has been imposed or for a violent offence (as defined in section 210A(10)) for which a sentence of at least 4 years’ imprisonment has been imposed. The duration of an extended sentence is determined by the court’s opinion of the need to protect the public from serious harm from the offender, and can be up to 5 years for a violent offence and up to 10 years for a sexual offence.
