Section 285: Required life sentence for offence carrying life sentence

Sentencing Act 2020 · 2020 c. 17View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 10: Custodial sentences — CHAPTER 4: Adults aged 21 and over

This section applies where a court is dealing with an offender for an offence where—

the offender is aged 21 or over at the time of conviction,
the offence is a Schedule 19 offence (see section 307),
the offence was committed on or after 4 April 2005, and
the court is of the opinion that there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm occasioned by the commission by the offender of further specified offences (see sections 306(1) and 308).

The pre-sentence report requirements (see section 30) apply to the court in relation to forming the opinion mentioned in subsection (1)(d).

If the court considers that the seriousness of—

the offence, or
the offence and one or more offences associated with it,

is such as to justify the imposition of a sentence of imprisonment for life, the court must impose a sentence of imprisonment for life.

An offence the sentence for which is imposed under this section is not to be regarded as an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.