{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-sentences-act-1998/section-12",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-sentences-act-1998/section-12.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/35",
  "legislation_title": "Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-sentences-act-1998",
  "path": "section/12",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "12",
  "heading": "Interpretation: prisoners and sentences.",
  "text": "(1) This section has effect for the purposes of this Act.\n(2) A fixed term prisoner is a prisoner serving a sentence of imprisonment for a fixed term.\n(3) A life prisoner is a prisoner serving a sentence of imprisonment for life.\n(4) References to a sentence of imprisonment for life include references to a sentence of detention at the Secretary of State’s pleasure.\n(5) Two or more consecutive sentences being served by a prisoner shall be treated as a single sentence if they were passed on the same occasion and each—\n(a) is for at least five years, and\n(b) was passed in Northern Ireland for a qualifying offence (within the meaning of section 3).",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/35/section/12",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:32.009906+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."
}