Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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(1) The following service offences may be dealt with at a summary hearing--

(a) an offence under section 4(3);

(b) an offence under any of sections 9 to 15;

(d) an offence under any of sections 17 to 29;

(e) an offence under section 30(1) of negligently doing an act that results in a person's escape, or an offence under section 30(2);

(f) an offence under any of sections 34 to 36;

(g) an offence under section 42 (criminal conduct) within subsection (3);

(h) an offence under section 107;

(i) an offence under Chapter 1 of Part 13;

(j) any service offence under regulations under section 328 or 343;

(k) an offence under section 96 or 97 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 of absence without leave.

(2) Any reference in a paragraph of subsection (1), except paragraph (g), to an offence includes an offence under section 39 of attempting to commit that offence.

(3) An offence under section 42 is within this subsection if the corresponding offence under the law of England and Wales is--

(a) an offence listed in either Part of Schedule 1 (criminal conduct offences that may be dealt with at a summary hearing); or

(b) an offence under section 1 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 (c. 47) of attempting to commit an (indictable) offence so listed.

(4) The Secretary of State may by order amend Schedule 1.

54 Charges which may be heard summarily only with permission or by senior officer

(1) An officer may not hear summarily a charge in respect of an offence within subsection (2) unless--

(a) he has obtained the permission of higher authority; or

(b) he is of or above the rank of rear admiral, major-general or air vice-marshal.

(2) An offence is within this subsection if it is an offence under section 42 as respects which the corresponding offence under the law of England and Wales is--

(a) an offence listed in Part 2 of Schedule 1; or

(b) an offence under section 1 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 of attempting to commit an (indictable) offence so listed.

Chapter 2 Time Limits for Commencing Proceedings

Time limits for offences other than Reserve Forces Act offences

55 Time limit for charging former member of a regular or reserve force

(1) This section applies where a person ceases to be a member of a regular or reserve force.

(2) The person may not, after the end of six months beginning with the date he ceased to be a member of that force, be charged with a service offence committed while he was a member.

(3) Subsection (2) applies even if the person rejoins the force within those six months.

56 Time limit for charging certain members or former members of ex-regular reserve forces

(1) This section applies where--

(a) a person, while a member of an ex-regular reserve force, has been subject to an additional duties commitment; and

(b) the person ceases to be subject to the commitment.

(2) The person may not, after the end of six months beginning with the date he ceased to be subject to the commitment, be charged with a service offence committed while he was so subject.

57 Time limit for charging person formerly subject to service law

(1) This section applies where a person ceases to be subject to service law.

(2) The person may not, after the end of six months beginning with the date he ceased to be subject to service law, be charged with a service offence committed while he was so subject.

(3) Subsection (2) applies even if the person (again) becomes subject to service law within those six months.

(4) Subsection (2) does not apply in relation to an offence committed by a person when he was--

(a) a member of a volunteer reserve force; or

(b) a member of an ex-regular reserve force who was subject to an additional duties commitment.

58 Time limit for charging civilian formerly subject to service discipline

(1) Subsection (2) applies in any case where a person ceases to be a civilian subject to service discipline, except a case where at the time he does so he becomes subject to service law.

(2) Where this subsection applies--

(a) the person may not, after the end of six months beginning with the date he ceased to be a civilian subject to service discipline, be charged with a service offence committed while he was such a civilian; and

(b) this applies even if he (again) becomes such a civilian within those six months.

(3) Where a person ceases to be a civilian subject to service discipline and at the time he does so becomes subject to service law, section 57 has effect as if--

(a) the reference in subsection (2) to a service offence committed while the person was subject to service law included a service offence committed during the relevant period; and

(b) the reference in subsection (3) to becoming subject to service law included becoming a civilian subject to service discipline.

(4) In subsection (3)(a) above "the relevant period" means the period while the person was a civilian subject to service discipline that ended with his becoming subject to service law.

(5) Subsection (6) applies to a person--

(a) who ceases to be a civilian subject to service discipline by reason only of--

(i) leaving an area designated for the purposes of Schedule 15;

(ii) entering the British Islands; or

(iii) leaving an area which a designation under paragraph 7 of Schedule 15 specifies as an area that he must be in for the designation to apply to him; and

(b) who is residing or staying in a qualifying place at the time he does so.

(6) As regards that time, and for so long after that time as he continues--

(a) to reside or stay in a qualifying place, and

(b) to be a person who is not a civilian subject to service discipline but who would be such a civilian if he were in a qualifying place,

he is to be treated for the purposes of this section (apart from subsection (5)) as being such a civilian.

(7) In subsections (5) and (6) "in a qualifying place" means--

(a) in relation to a person who falls within subsection (5)(a) by reason of leaving an area designated for the purposes of Schedule 15, in any such area;

(b) in relation to a person who falls within subsection (5)(a) by reason of entering the British Islands, outside the British Islands;

(c) in relation to a person who falls within subsection (5)(a) by reason of leaving an area mentioned in subsection (5)(a)(iii), in that area.

59 Time limit for charging offence under section 107

(1) A person may not be charged with an offence under section 107 (breach of requirement imposed on release from custody) after the end of whichever of the following periods ends last--

(a) six months beginning with the date of commission of the offence;

(b) two months beginning with the date the person is apprehended.

(2) Where subsection (1) prohibits the charging of a person with an offence, the power under section 123(2)(c) or 125(2)(c) may not be exercised so as to charge that person with that offence.

60 Time limit for charging offence under section 266

A person may not be charged with an offence under section 266 (failure to comply with financial statement order) after the end of whichever of the following periods ends first--

(a) two years beginning with the date of commission of the offence;

(b) six months beginning with the date the offence becomes known to a member of the Service Prosecuting Authority.

61 Sections 55 to 60: exceptions and interpretation

(1) References in sections 55 to 60 and this section to charging (except the second such reference in section 59(2)) are to charging under section 120 or 122.

(2) Where any of sections 55 to 58 prohibits the charging of a person with an offence, the person may be charged with the offence if the Attorney General consents.

(3) Each of sections 55 to 60 is without prejudice to the rest of those sections.

(4) Nothing in those sections applies in relation to a Reserve Forces Act offence (as defined by section 62).

Time limit for Reserve Forces Act offences

62 Time limit for charging Reserve Forces Act offences

(1) A person may not be charged with a Reserve Forces Act offence after the end of whichever of the following periods ends last--

(a) six months beginning with the date of commission of the offence;

(b) two months beginning with the date the offence becomes known to the person's commanding officer;

(d) if the offence was committed when the person was a relevant reservist, six months beginning with the date he ceases to be a relevant reservist.

(2) If--

(a) the offence was committed when the person was a relevant reservist, and

(b) he ceases to be a relevant reservist after committing it,

the period in subsection (1)(d) is not extended by his (again) becoming a relevant reservist within the six months beginning with the date he so ceased.

(3) In this section--

(a) the reference in subsection (1) to charging is to charging under section 120 or 122;

(b) "Reserve Forces Act offence" means an offence within section 50(2)(h) or (i);

(i) a member of a volunteer reserve force; or

(ii) a member of an ex-regular reserve force who is in full-time service or subject to an additional duties commitment;

(d) "in full-time service" means in such service under a commitment entered into under section 24 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 (c. 14).

(4) Where subsection (1) prohibits the charging (as defined by subsection (3)(a)) of a person with an offence, the power under section 123(2)(c) or 125(2)(c) may not be exercised so as to charge that person with that offence.

Chapter 3 Double Jeopardy

63 Service proceedings barring subsequent service proceedings

(1) This section applies where a person--

(a) has been convicted or acquitted of a service offence; or

(b) has had a service offence taken into consideration when being sentenced;

and in this section "offence A" means the offence mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b).

(2) The Court Martial may not try that person for an offence ("offence B") if--

(a) offence B is the same offence in law as offence A, or subsection (3) applies; and

(b) the alleged facts on which the charge in respect of offence B is based are the same, or substantially the same, as those on which the charge in respect of offence A was based.

(3) This subsection applies if--

(a) the person was convicted of offence A, or offence A was taken into consideration, and offence B is an offence all of whose elements are elements of offence A;

(b) the person was acquitted of offence A and offence B is an offence whose elements include all the elements of offence A; or

(c) the person was convicted or acquitted of offence A by the Court Martial or the Service Civilian Court and offence B is an offence of which under section 161 (alternative offences) he could have been convicted on acquittal of offence A.

(4) Where offence A is an offence taken into consideration which was not charged, the reference in subsection (2)(b) to the facts on which the charge in respect of offence A was based is to be read as a reference to the facts on which a charge in respect of offence A would have been based.

(5) Where by reason of this section a person cannot be tried by the Court Martial for an offence--

(a) the Service Civilian Court may not try him for that offence; and

(b) a charge against him in respect of that offence may not be heard summarily by an officer.

64 Service proceedings barring subsequent civilian proceedings

(1) This section applies where a person--

(a) has been convicted or acquitted of an offence under section 42 (criminal conduct); or

(b) has had such an offence taken into consideration when being sentenced.

(2) A civilian court in a relevant territory may not try that person for any offence for which, under the law of that territory, it would be debarred from trying him if he had been convicted or (as the case may be) acquitted by a court in England and Wales of the relevant offence.

(3) "The relevant offence" means the offence under the law of England and Wales which the act (or alleged act) constituting the offence under section 42 amounted to.

(4) Where that act (or alleged act) would amount to an offence under the law of England and Wales if it had been done in England or Wales, for the purposes of subsection (3) it shall be assumed to amount to that offence.

(5) In this section "relevant territory" means--

(a) England and Wales;

(b) Scotland;

(d) the Isle of Man.

(6) In this section "act" includes an omission and references to the doing of an act are to be read accordingly.

65 Sections 63 and 64: supplementary

(1) If a direction under section 127(1) or (2) has been made in relation to an offence, the person to whom the direction relates shall be treated--

(a) for the purposes of section 63, and

(b) in the case of a direction under section 127(2), for the purposes of section 64,

as if he had been acquitted of the offence.

(2) The reference in subsection (1)(a) above to section 63 does not include subsection (3)(c) of that section.

(3) For the purposes of sections 63 and 64 a person shall be taken not to have had an offence taken into consideration when being sentenced if the sentence has been quashed.

66 Civilian proceedings barring subsequent service proceedings

(1) The Court Martial may not try a person for an offence under section 42 (criminal conduct) if the act constituting the offence amounts to an offence under the law of England and Wales for which a civilian court in England and Wales would on the ground of autrefois acquit or autrefois convict be debarred from trying him.

(2) The Court Martial may not try a person for a non-criminal service offence (that is, a service offence not under section 42) if--

(a) any act constituting an element of the offence amounts to an offence under the law of England and Wales ("offence X"); and

(b) a civilian court in England and Wales would on the ground of autrefois acquit be debarred from trying the person for offence X.

(3) Where an act constituting--

(a) an offence under section 42, or

(b) an element of a non-criminal service offence,

would amount to an offence under the law of England and Wales if it had been done in England or Wales, it shall be assumed for the purposes of subsection (1) or (2) to amount to that offence.

(4) Where a civilian court (anywhere) has taken an offence into consideration in sentencing a person and the sentence has not been quashed, the person shall be treated for the purposes of subsection (1) as having been convicted by that court of that offence.

(5) Where by reason of this section a person cannot be tried by the Court Martial for an offence--

(a) the Service Civilian Court may not try him for that offence; and

(b) a charge against him in respect of that offence may not be heard summarily by an officer.

(6) This section does not apply in any case where the question whether a person can be tried for an offence (or dealt with summarily for it) is determined by section 63.

(7) In this section "act" includes an omission and references to the doing of an act are to be read accordingly.

Part 3 Powers of Arrest, Search and Entry

Chapter 1 Arrest etc

Powers of arrest

67 Power of arrest for service offence

(1) A person who is reasonably suspected of being engaged in committing, or of having committed, a service offence may be arrested in accordance with subsection (2), (3), (4) or (5) by a person subject to service law.

(2) An officer may be arrested under subsection (1)--

(a) by an officer of superior rank or, if engaged in a mutiny, quarrel or disorder, by an officer of any rank;

(b) by a service policeman; or

(3) A person of or below the rank or rate of warrant officer may be arrested under subsection (1)--

(a) by an officer;

(b) by a warrant officer or non-commissioned officer of superior rank or rate;

(d) by a person who is lawfully exercising authority on behalf of a provost officer; or

(e) if a member of a ship's company or an embarked force, by a person exercising authority as a member of the staff of the officer of the day.

(4) A civilian subject to service discipline may be arrested under subsection (1)--

(a) by an officer;

(b) by a service policeman; or

(5) Where none of subsections (2) to (4) applies in relation to the person to be arrested, that person may be arrested under subsection (1) by a service policeman.

(6) The power of arrest conferred on any person by this section may be exercised--

(a) personally;

(b) by giving orders for the arrest of the person who is to be arrested; or

68 Section 67: supplementary

(1) In section 67(2)(a) the reference to being engaged in a mutiny is a reference to committing an offence under section 6.

(2) For the purposes of section 67(3), a person who--

(a) is suspected of having committed a service offence while a member of Her Majesty's forces, and

(b) is not a member of Her Majesty's forces or a civilian subject to service discipline,

is to be treated in relation to the offence as being of the rank or rate which he held when he was last a member of Her Majesty's forces.

(3) For the purposes of section 67(4), a person who--

(a) is suspected of having committed a service offence while a civilian subject to service discipline, and

(b) is not a member of Her Majesty's forces or a civilian subject to service discipline,

is to be treated in relation to the offence as if he were a civilian subject to service discipline.

(4) Where a person may be charged (within the meaning of section 61(1)) with an offence only with the consent of the Attorney General (see section 61(2)), section 67(1) has effect in relation to the offence as if for the words from "in accordance with" to the end there were substituted "by a service policeman" (and as if section 67(2) to (5) were omitted).

69 Power of arrest in anticipation of commission of service offence

(1) A service policeman may arrest a person whom he reasonably suspects of being about to commit a service offence.

(2) Subsection (6) of section 67 applies in relation to the power of arrest conferred by this section as it applies in relation to the power of arrest conferred by that section.

(3) Where a person is arrested under this section--

(a) the arrest must be reported as soon as practicable to his commanding officer; and

(b) he may be kept in service custody until such time as a service policeman is satisfied that the risk of his committing the service offence concerned has passed.

Search on arrest

70 Search by service policeman upon arrest

(1) A service policeman may search an arrested person if he has reasonable grounds for believing that the arrested person may present a danger to himself or others.

(2) A service policeman may search an arrested person for anything that is subject to search if he has reasonable grounds for believing that the arrested person may have any such thing concealed on him.

(3) For the purposes of this section a thing is "subject to search" if--

(a) the arrested person might use it to assist him to escape from service custody; or

(b) in the case of an arrest under section 67 or 69, it might be evidence relating to a service offence.

(4) References in this section to an arrested person are to a person arrested under section 67, 69, 110, 111 or 303.

71 Search by other persons upon arrest

(1) A person (other than a service policeman) who is exercising a power of arrest may search the arrested person if he has reasonable grounds for believing that the arrested person may present a danger to himself or others.

(2) Subsection (4) (power to search arrested person for things subject to search) applies where--

(a) a person ("the arrested person") is to be or has been arrested by a person other than a service policeman; and

(b) the commanding officer of the arrested person has reasonable grounds for believing that it is likely that that person would--

(i) escape from service custody, or

(ii) conceal, damage, alter or destroy evidence,

if a search for things subject to search could not be carried out before the earliest time by which it would be practicable to obtain the assistance mentioned in subsection (3).

(3) That assistance is--

(a) the assistance of a service policeman; or

(b) in a case where corresponding powers conferred by section 32(2)(a) of PACE or any other enactment are exercisable by a member of a UK police force, the assistance of a member of such a force who is capable of exercising those corresponding powers.

(4) Where this subsection applies, the commanding officer of the arrested person may order or authorise the person exercising the power of arrest to search the arrested person, on or after exercising the power, for anything that is subject to search.

(5) A commanding officer may give an order under subsection (4) only if he has reasonable grounds for believing that the arrested person may have concealed on him anything that is subject to search.

(6) A person authorised under subsection (4) may exercise the power of search conferred by that subsection only if he has reasonable grounds for believing that the arrested person may have concealed on him anything that is subject to search.

(7) Section 70(3) (meaning of things "subject to search") applies for the purposes of this section.

(8) References in this section to arrest are to arrest under section 67, 110 or 111, and related expressions in this section are to be read accordingly.

(9) The Defence Council may by regulations provide for the delegation by a commanding officer of his functions under this section.

72 Sections 70 and 71: supplementary

(1) A person exercising the power conferred by section 70(2), or ordered or authorised under section 71(4), may search the arrested person only to the extent that is reasonably required for the purpose of discovering anything that is subject to search (within the meaning of those sections).

(2) Nothing in section 70 or 71 authorises anyone to require an arrested person to remove any of his clothing in public other than an outer coat, jacket, headgear or gloves.

(3) The reference in subsection (2) to headgear does not include headgear worn for religious reasons.

(4) Any power of search conferred by section 70 or 71 authorises the search of the arrested person's mouth.

73 Seizure and retention after search upon arrest

(1) A person exercising the power conferred by section 70(1) or 71(1) may seize and retain anything he finds, if he has reasonable grounds for believing that the person searched might use it to cause physical injury to himself or to any other person.

(2) A person exercising the power conferred by section 70(2), or ordered or authorised under section 71(4), may seize and retain anything he finds, other than an item subject to legal privilege, if he has reasonable grounds for believing--

(a) that the person searched might use it to assist him to escape from service custody; or

(b) in the case of an arrest under section 67 or 69, that it is evidence of a service offence or has been obtained in consequence of the commission of a service offence.

(3) In subsection (2) "item subject to legal privilege" has the meaning given by section 10 of PACE.

74 Power to make provision conferring power to search premises at which person arrested

The Secretary of State may by order make provision, in relation to premises in which a person was when or immediately before he was arrested under section 67, which is equivalent to that made by any of the provisions of section 32 of PACE which relate to the power to enter and search premises, subject to such modifications as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

Chapter 2 Stop and Search

75 Power of service policeman to stop and search persons, vehicles etc

(1) A service policeman may, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2) and in a place permitted by section 78, search any of the following for stolen or prohibited articles, controlled drugs or Her Majesty's stores--

(a) any person who is, or whom the service policeman has reasonable grounds for believing to be, a person subject to service law or a civilian subject to service discipline;

(b) a service vehicle which is in the charge of any person;

(c) any vehicle which is, or which the service policeman has reasonable grounds for believing to be, in the charge of a person subject to service law or a civilian subject to service discipline;

(d) anything which is in or on a service vehicle or a vehicle within paragraph (c).

(2) The circumstances are that the service policeman has reasonable grounds for suspecting--

(a) that the search will reveal stolen or prohibited articles;

(b) that the search will reveal Her Majesty's stores that have been unlawfully obtained;

(c) in the case of the search of a person, that the person is in possession of a controlled drug in circumstances in which he commits an offence under section 42 as respects which the corresponding offence under the law of England and Wales is an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (c. 38); or

(d) in the case of the search of a vehicle, that the search will reveal a controlled drug that is in a person's possession in such circumstances.

(3) A service policeman may detain for the purposes of a search under subsection (1)--

(a) any person who is, or whom the service policeman has reasonable grounds for believing to be, a person subject to service law or a civilian subject to service discipline;

(b) any person in charge of a service vehicle;

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