{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995/section-205",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995/section-205.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1995/46",
  "legislation_title": "Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995",
  "path": "section/205",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "205",
  "heading": "Punishment for murder.",
  "text": "(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) and section 205Dbelow, a person convicted of murder shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life.\n(2) Where a person convicted of murder is a child he shall not be sentenced to imprisonment for life but to be detained without limit of time and shall be liable to be detained in such place (in any part of the United Kingdom), and under such conditions, as the Secretary of State may , subject to section 208A, direct.\n(3) Where a person convicted of murder has attained the age of 18 years but is under the age of 21 years he shall not be sentenced to imprisonment for life but to be detained in a young offenders institution and shall be liable to be detained for life.\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 205(1) inserted (17.12.2001) by 2001 asp 7, s. 2(1)(a); S.S.I. 2001/456, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 205(2) substituted (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 19(3)(a), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(d) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 205(2) inserted (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 19(3)(b), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(d) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 205(2) inserted (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 19(3)(c), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(d) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 205(4)-(6) repealed (17.12.2001) by 2001 asp 7, s. 2(1)(b); S.S.I. 2001/456 art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/46/section/205",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-05T03:43:46.035735+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."
}