Sentencing Act 2020

PART 5 Attendance centre requirement

Attendance centre requirement

14 (1) In this Code “attendance centre requirement”, in relation to a youth rehabilitation order, means a requirement that the offender must attend at a particular attendance centre for a particular number of hours.

(2) A youth rehabilitation order which imposes an attendance centre requirement must specify—

(a) the attendance centre, and

(b) the aggregate number of hours for which the offender may be required to attend at the attendance centre.

(3) That number of hours must be—

(a) if the offender is aged 16 or over at the time of conviction—

(i) not less than 12, and

(ii) not more than 36;

(b) if the offender is aged 14 or 15 at the time of conviction—

(i) not less than 12, and

(ii) not more than 24;

(c) if the offender is aged under 14 at the time of conviction, not more than 12.

(4) The first time at which the offender is required to attend at the attendance centre is a time notified to the offender by the responsible officer.

(5) The subsequent hours are to be fixed by the officer in charge of the centre—

(a) in accordance with arrangements made by the responsible officer, and

(b) having regard to the offender’s circumstances.

(6) An offender may not be required under this paragraph to attend at an attendance centre—

(a) more than once on any day, or

(b) for more than 3 hours at a time.

(7) A requirement under this paragraph to attend at an attendance centre for any period on any occasion operates as a requirement, during that period, to engage in occupation, or receive instruction, whether at the centre or elsewhere—

(a) under the supervision of the officer in charge of the centre, and

(b) in accordance with instructions given by, or under the authority of, that officer.

Restriction on imposing attendance centre requirement

15 A court may not include an attendance centre requirement in a youth rehabilitation order unless—

(a) the court has been notified by the Secretary of State that an attendance centre is available for persons of the offender’s description and that provision can be made for the offender there (and the notice has not been withdrawn), and

(b) the court is satisfied that the attendance centre which it proposes to specify in the order is reasonably accessible to the offender, having regard to the means of access available to the offender and any other circumstances.