Sexual Offences Act 2003, section 81

Persons formerly subject to Part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997

Part 2 Notification and orders

(1)A person is, from the commencement of this Part until the end of the notification period, subject to the notification requirements of this Part if, before the commencement of this Part—

(a)he was convicted of an offence listed in Schedule 3;

(b)he was found not guilty of such an offence by reason of insanity;

(c)he was found to be under a disability and to have done the act charged against him in respect of such an offence; or

(d)in England and Wales or Northern Ireland, he was cautioned in respect of such an offence.

(2)Subsection (1) does not apply if the notification period ended before the commencement of this Part.

(3)Subsection (1)(a) does not apply to a conviction before 1st September 1997 unless, at the beginning of that day, the person—

(a)had not been dealt with in respect of the offence;

(b)F177was serving a sentence of imprisonment . . . , or was subject to a community order, in respect of the offence;

(c)was subject to supervision, having been released from prison after serving the whole or part of a sentence of imprisonment in respect of the offence; or

(d)was detained in a hospital or was subject to a guardianship order, following the conviction.

(4)Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) do not apply to a finding made before 1st September 1997 unless, at the beginning of that day, the person—

(a)had not been dealt with in respect of the finding; or

(b)was detained in a hospital, following the finding.

(5)Subsection (1)(d) does not apply to a caution given before 1st September 1997.

(6)A person who would have been within subsection (3)(b) or (d) or (4)(b) but for the fact that at the beginning of 1st September 1997 he was unlawfully at large or absent without leave, on temporary release or leave of absence, or on bail pending an appeal, is to be treated as being within that provision.

(7)Where, immediately before the commencement of this Part, an order under a provision within subsection (8) was in force in respect of a person, the person is subject to the notification requirements of this Part from that commencement until the order is discharged or otherwise ceases to have effect.

(8)The provisions are—

(a)section 5A of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 (c. 51) (restraining orders);

(b)section 2 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c. 37) (sex offender orders made in England and Wales);

(c)section 2A of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (interim orders made in England and Wales);

(d)section 20 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (sex offender orders and interim orders made in Scotland);

(e)Article 6 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/2839 (N.I. 20)) (sex offender orders made in Northern Ireland);

(f)Article 6A of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (interim orders made in Northern Ireland).

Definitions used in section 81 9

notification period

“notification period” has the meaning given by section 80(1);

Defined in s.133(1) · see it in the full Act
cautioned

“cautioned” means—

(a)

cautioned (or, in Northern Ireland, cautioned by a police officer) after the person concerned has admitted the offence, ...

(b)

...

and “caution” is to be interpreted accordingly;

Defined in s.133(1) · see it in the full Act
community order

“community order” means—

(a)

a community order within the meaning of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (c. 6) (as that Act had effect before the passing of the Criminal Justice Act 2003) ;

(b)

a community payback order made under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (c.46);

(c)

a community order within the meaning of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/3160 (N.I. 24)), a probation order under section 1 of the Probation Act (Northern Ireland) 1950 (c. 7 (N.I.)) or a community service order under Article 7 of the Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976/226 (N.I. 40)); or

(d)

a community supervision order;

Defined in s.133(1) · see it in the full Act
supervision

“supervision” means supervision in pursuance of an order made for the purpose or, in the case of a person released from prison on licence, in pursuance of a condition contained in his licence;

Defined in s.133(1) · see it in the full Act
prison

(iii) the Minister of the Crown exercising functions in relation to prisons (and for this purpose “prison” has the same meaning as in the Prison Act 1952 ), and

Defined in s.91B(11) · see it in the full Act
detained in a hospital

“detained in a hospital” means detained in a hospital under—

(a)

Part 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983, section 136 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 13) , Part 6 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 or Part III of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986;

(b)

Schedule 1 to the Criminal Procedure (Insanity and Unfitness to Plead) Act 1991; or

(c)

section 46 of the Mental Health Act 1983, section 69 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 or Article 52 of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986;

Defined in s.133(1) · see it in the full Act

(1A) A reference to a provision specified in paragraph (a) of the definition of “admitted to a hospital”, “detained in a hospital” or “restriction order” includes a reference to the provision as it applies by virtue of—

(a)section 5 of the Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964,

(b)section 6 or 14 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968,

(ba)Schedule 4 to the Armed Forces Act 2006 (including as applied by section 16(2) of the Court Martial Appeals Act 1968),

(c)section 116A of the Army Act 1955 or the Air Force Act 1955 or section 63A of the Naval Discipline Act 1957, or

(d)section 16 or 23 of the Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1968.

Defined in s.133(1A) · see it in the full Act
guardianship order

“guardianship order” means a guardianship order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20) , section 58 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 46) or Article 44 of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/595 (N.I. 4));

Defined in s.133(1) · see it in the full Act
finding

and in paragraphs (a) and (b), “finding” in relation to an offence means a finding of not guilty of the offence by reason of insanity or a finding that the person was under a disability and did the act or omission charged against him in respect of the offence.

Defined in s.88(4) · see it in the full Act
caution

and “caution” is to be interpreted accordingly;

Defined in s.133(1) · see it in the full Act

Cases considering section 81 6

Regina v. Longworth (Appellant) (On Appeal from the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division))

[2006] UKHL 1 · 26 January 2006

The provision addresses persons convicted before commencement of Part 2 and makes them subject to notification until the end of the applicable period. (see para [21]) The statutory distinction between conviction and the time when an offender was dealt with reinforced the conclusion that conviction occurs before sentence. (see para [25])

Rawlinson v R.

[2018] EWCA Crim 2825 · 18 December 2018

The court confirmed that the reference to a person who “has been sentenced” was needed to cover persons formerly subject to the previous statutory notification regime. (see para [23])

Hamill v The Chelmsford Magistrates' Court & Anor (Rev 1)

[2014] EWHC 2799 (Admin) · 8 August 2014

Makes a person convicted before the 1997 Act commenced and subject to supervision after release subject to the Part 2 notification requirements (see para [18]).

What each judgment says about section 81 is in the case-law panel in the full Act.

Explanatory note

153.Section 81 provides that, on commencement of this Part of the Act, offenders previously subject to the notification requirements of the 1997 Act by virtue of a conviction, relevant finding or caution for an offence listed in Schedule 3 of this Act, will be subject to the notification requirements of this Part unless their period of notification ended before commencement. Subsections (3) to (6) replicate the partially retrospective provisions of the 1997 Act, so that, save in specified circumstances, convictions, findings and cautions that pre-date 1 September 1997 (the date of commencement of the 1997 Act) will not trigger the notification requirements. Subsections (7) and (8) relate to persons who immediately before commencement of this Part were subject to a sex offender order or an interim sex offender order in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, or a restraining order in England and Wales. These orders all impose the notification requirements under the 1997 Act. Such persons will, from commencement, become subject to the notification requirements of this Part of this Act until the order ceases to have effect.

All the explanatory notes for the Act

Amendments and notes

1 notes from legislation.gov.uk

Amendments

  1. F177S. 81(3)(b) repealed (28.3.2009 for certain purposes and otherwise 31.10.2009) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), ss. 378, 383(2), Sch. 16 para. 206, Sch. 17; S.I. 2009/812, art. 3 (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4 this amendment is subject to savings and/or transitional provisions, see the commentary.