Part VIU.K. Miscellaneous and General

MiscellaneousU.K.

104 General provisions as to interpretation.U.K.

(1)In this Act, except so far as the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them; that is to say—

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

• “court” does not include a court-martial;

• “explosive” has the same meaning as in the M1Explosives Act 1875;

• [F2“extended sentence certificate” means a certificate issued under section 28 of the M2Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973 stating that an extended term of imprisonment was imposed on an offender under that section];

• “firearm” has the same meaning as in the M3Firearms Act 1937;

• “imitation firearm” has the same meaning as in the M4Firearms Act 1965;

• “offensive weapon” has the same meaning as in section 1 of the M5Prevention of Crime Act 1953;

• “prison rules” means rules under section 47 of the M6Prison Act 1952;

• “sentence of imprisonment” does not include a committal in default of payment of any sum of money, or for want of sufficient distress to satisfy any sum of money, or for failure to do or abstain from doing anything required to be done or left undone;

• [F3“suspended sentence” means a sentence to which an order under section 22(1) of the M7Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973 relates.]

(2)For the purposes of any reference in this Act, however expressed, to the term of imprisonment or other detention to which a person has been sentenced or which, or part of which, he has served, consecutive terms and terms which are wholly or partly concurrent shall be treated as a single term.

(3)Any reference in this Act however expressed to a previous conviction or sentence shall be construed as a reference to a previous conviction by a court in any part of Great Britain and to a previous sentence passed by any such court.

(4)Any reference in this Act to an offence punishable with imprisonment shall be construed, in relation to any offender, without regard to any prohibition or restriction imposed by or under any enactment on the imprisonment of offenders of his age.

(5)Any reference in this Act to any other enactment is a reference thereto as amended, and includes a reference thereto as extended or applied, by or under any other enactment, including this Act.