{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-2003/section-255C",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-2003/section-255C.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2003/44",
  "legislation_title": "Criminal Justice Act 2003",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-act-2003",
  "path": "section/255C",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "255C",
  "heading": "Prisoners excluded from automatic release under section 255B or 255BA",
  "text": "(1) This section applies to a prisoner (“P”)—\n(a) who is a relevant young offender and—\n(i) whose case was referred to the Board under section 244ZB, or\n(ii) who is not considered suitable for release at the end of the section 255B automatic release period (see sections 255A(4) and 255B(9)), or\n(b) who is not a relevant young offender and—\n(i) who is not a prisoner eligible for automatic release at the end of the section 255BA automatic release period (see section 255A(8)), or\n(ii) who the Secretary of State has determined should not be released at the end of the section 255BA automatic release period (see section 255BA(5)).\n(2) The Secretary of State may, at any time after P is returned to prison, release P again on licence under this Chapter.\n(3) The Secretary of State must not release P under subsection (2) unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is not necessary for the protection of the public that P should remain in prison.\n(4) The Secretary of State must refer P's case to the Board—\n(a) if P makes representations under section 254(2) before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which P returns to custody, on the making of those representations, or\n(b) if, at the end of that period, P has not been released under subsection (2) and has not made such representations, at that time.\n(4A) The Board must not give a direction for P’s release on a reference under subsection (4) unless the Board is satisfied that it is not necessary for the protection of the public that P should remain in prison.\n(5) Where on a reference under subsection (4) the Board directs P's ... release on licence under this Chapter, the Secretary of State must give effect to the direction.\n(6) Subsection (7) applies if P is recalled before the date on which P would (but for the earlier release) have served the requisite custodial period for the purposes of section 243A or (as the case may be) section 244.\n(7) Where this subsection applies—\n(a) if P is released under this section before that date, P's licence must include a curfew condition complying with section 253, and\n(b) P is not to be so released (despite subsection (5)) unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that arrangements are in place to enable that condition to be complied with.\n(8) For the purposes of this section, P returns to custody when P, having been recalled, is detained (whether or not in prison) in pursuance of the sentence.\n(9) In this section, “relevant young offender” has the same meaning as in section 255A.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Ss. 255A-255C and cross-heading substituted for ss. 255A-255D (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), ss. 114(1), 151(1) (with Sch. 15); S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 255C(1) substituted (31.3.2026 for specified purposes and otherwise coming into force in accordance with reg. 4 of the commencing S.I.) by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 33(8)(b), 49(1) (with s. 33(14)); S.I. 2026/86, regs. 3(b)(iv), 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "S. 255C(4A) inserted (28.6.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 136(3), 208(1); S.I. 2022/520, reg. 5(o)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Word in s. 255C(5) omitted (28.6.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 139(2)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/520, reg. 5(o)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 255C(9) inserted (31.3.2026 for specified purposes and otherwise coming into force in accordance with reg. 4 of the commencing S.I.) by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 33(8)(c), 49(1) (with s. 33(14)); S.I. 2026/86, regs. 3(b)(iv), 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 255C heading substituted (29.6.2021) by Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 (c. 11), s. 50(2)(v), Sch. 13 para. 9(7)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 255C heading substituted (31.3.2026 for specified purposes and otherwise coming into force in accordance with reg. 4 of the commencing S.I.) by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 33(8)(a), 49(1) (with s. 33(14)); S.I. 2026/86, regs. 3(b)(iv), 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 255C applied (22.3.2026) by 1984 c. 27, Sch. para. 2B(5) (as inserted by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 41(1), 49(4) (with s. 41(3)(4)))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 255C(6) modified (10.9.2024 for specified purposes, 22.10.2024 in so far as not already in force) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Requisite and Minimum Custodial Periods) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/844), arts. 1(2), 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Pt. 12 Ch. 6 modified (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 245(1)(2)(c), 416(1) (with ss. 2, 245(3), 398(1), 406, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "Pt. 12 Ch. 6 modified (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 244(1)(2)(c), 416(1) (with ss. 2, 244(3), 398(1), 406, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2015/2",
      "affecting_title": "Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015"
    },
    {
      "type": "substituted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2015/2",
      "affecting_title": "Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2026/2",
      "affecting_title": "Sentencing Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2024/21",
      "affecting_title": "Victims and Prisoners Act 2024"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2015/2",
      "affecting_title": "Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2015/2",
      "affecting_title": "Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2015/2",
      "affecting_title": "Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/44/section/255C",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:17:40.404644+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}