Paragraph 2 I1

(1)

If—

(a)

the court considers that the seriousness of the offence (or the combination of the offence and one or more offences associated with it) is exceptionally high, and

(b)

the offender was aged 21 or over when the offence was committed,

the appropriate starting point is a whole life order.

(2)

Cases that would normally fall within sub-paragraph (1)(a) include—

(a)

the murder of two or more persons, where each murder involves any of the following—

(i)

a substantial degree of premeditation or planning,

(ii)

the abduction of the victim, or

(iii)

sexual or sadistic conduct,

(b)

the murder of a child if involving the abduction of the child or sexual or sadistic motivation,

F1(ba)

the murder of a child involving a substantial degree of premeditation or planning, where the offence was committed on or after the day on which section 125 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 came into force,

(c)

the murder of a police officer or prison officer in the course of his or her duty, where the offence was committed on or after 13 April 2015,

F2(ca)

the murder of an officer of a provider of probation services in the course of his or her duty, where the offence was committed on or after the day on which section 11 of the Sentencing Act 2026 came into force,

(cb)

the murder of a person who was serving or had ceased to serve as a police officer, a prison officer or an officer of a provider of probation services where—

(i)

the offence was motivated wholly or partly by something done by the victim in the course of their duty as a police officer, a prison officer or an officer of a provider of probation services, and

(ii)

the offence was committed on or after the day on which section 11 of the Sentencing Act 2026 came into force,

(d)

a murder done for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause, or

(e)

a murder by an offender previously convicted of murder.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Sch. 21 para. 2(2)(ba) inserted (28.6.2022) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 125, 208(5)(l)
F2: Sch. 21 para. 2(2)(ca)(cb) inserted (22.3.2026) by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 11, 49(4)

Commencement

I1: Sch. 21 para. 2 in force at 1.12.2020 by S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2

Notes on Schedule 21

Modifications

C1: Sch. 21 modified (28.6.2022) by 2006 c. 52, s. 261A(5) (as inserted by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 148, 208(5)(p))