Sentencing Act 2020

Pre-sentence drug testing

1 After section 34 insert—

“Pre-sentence drug testing

34A Pre-sentence drug testing

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a person is convicted of an offence, and

(b) the court is considering passing—

(i) a community sentence, or

(ii) a suspended sentence.

(2) The court may make an order requiring the offender to provide samples for the purpose of ascertaining whether the offender has any specified Class A drug in his or her body.

(3) An order under this section—

(a) must specify the descriptions of samples to be provided,

(b) if the offender is aged under 17, must provide for the samples to be provided in the presence of an appropriate adult, and

(c) may include further provision about how the samples are to be provided.

(4) If it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that the offender has, without reasonable excuse, failed to comply with the order it may impose on the offender a fine of an amount not exceeding level 4.

(5) In subsection (4) “level 4” means the amount which, in relation to a fine for a summary offence, is level 4 on the standard scale.

(6) The court may not make an order under subsection (2) unless it has been notified by the Secretary of State that the power to make such orders is exercisable by the court (and the notice has not been withdrawn).

(7) In this section—

• “appropriate adult” in relation to a person aged under 17, means—

  (a)

  the person’s parent or guardian or, if the person is in the care of a local authority or voluntary organisation, a person representing that authority or organisation,

  (b)

  a social worker of a local authority, or

  (c)

  if no person falling within paragraph (a) or (b) is available, any responsible person aged 18 or over who is not a police officer or a person employed for, or engaged on, police purposes;

• “police purposes” has the meaning given by section 101(2) of the Police Act 1996;

• “specified Class A drug” has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (see section 70 of that Act).”