Armed Forces Act 1971 Part I Duration of Services Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Part II Revision of Service Offences and Punishments Misconduct in action and other offences arising out of military etc. service Misconduct in action, assisting the enemy, obstructing operations, etc. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prize offences. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offences by or in relation to sentries, persons on watch etc. 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Failure to attend for duty, neglect of duty etc. 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Looting 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mutiny, insubordination, etc. Mutiny 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Insurbodinate behaviour, and disobedience to lawful commands. 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Obstruction of provost officers etc. 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Disobedience to standing orders etc. 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Desertion, absence without leave, etc. Desertion. 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Absence without leave. 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Failure to report or apprehend deserters or absentees. 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Malingering, drunkenness and disorderly conduct Malingering. 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drunkeness. 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Disorderly conduct. 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offences relating to service etc. property Service etc. property: damage, loss, misapplication and waste. 17 1 The following provisions shall be substituted for sections 44 to 46 of the Army Act 1955:— Damage to, and loss of, public or service property etc. 44 1 Any person subject to military law who— a wilfully damages or causes the loss of, or service is concerned in the wilful damage or loss property of, any public or service property, or any etc. property belonging to another person so subject, or b by wilful neglect causes or allows damage to, or the loss of, any public or service property or property so belonging, shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to imprisonment or any less punishment provided by this Act. 2 Any person subject to military law who— a by any negligent act or omission causes or allows damage to, or the loss of, any public or service property, or b is guilty of any wilful or negligent act or omission which is likely to cause damage to, or the loss of, any such property, shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less punishment provided by this Act. Damage to, loss of, Her Majesty’s aircraft or aircraft material. 44A 1 Without prejudice to the generality of section 44 above, a person subject to military law shall be guilty of an offence against this section if he— a wilfully damages or causes the loss of, or is material. concerned in the wilful damage or loss of, any of Her Majesty’s aircraft or aircraft material, or b by wilful neglect causes or allows damage to, or the loss of, any of Her Majesty’s aircraft or aircraft material, or c without lawful authority disposes of any of Her Majesty’s aircraft or aircraft material, or d by any negligent act or omission causes or allows damage to, or the loss of, any of Her Majesty’s aircraft or aircraft material, or e is guilty of any wilful or negligent act or omission which is likely to cause damage to, or the loss of, any of Her Majesty’s aircraft or aircraft material, or f during a state of war, wilfully and without proper occasion, or negligently, causes the sequestration by or under the authority of a neutral state, or the destruction in a neutral state, of any of Her Majesty’s aircraft. 2 A person guilty of an offence against this section shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable— a if his offence consisted in an act or omission falling within paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (1), or if it consisted in an act or omission falling within paragraph (f) of that subsection and it is proved that he acted wilfully or with wilful neglect, to imprisonment or any less punishment provided by this Act; b in any other case, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less punishment provided by this Act. Misapplication and waste of public or service property. 45 Any person subject to military law who misapplies or wastefully expends any public or service property shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less punishment provided by this Act. Offences relating to issues and decorations. 46 1 Any person subject to military law makes away with (whether by pawning, selling, destroying or in any other way), or loses, or by negligence damages or allows to be damaged— a any clothing, arms, ammunition or other equipment issued to him for his use for military purposes, or b any military, air-force or naval decoration granted to him, shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less punishment provided by this Act. 2 It shall be a defence for a person charged under this section with losing any property that he took reasonable steps for its care and preservation. 2 The provisions set out in subsection (1) above shall also be substituted for sections 44 to 46 of the Air Force Act 1955, but modified for that purpose by the substitution throughout of “air-force law” for “military law” and, in the provision to become section 46 of that Act, of “air-force purposes” for “military purposes” and “air-force, military or naval decoration” for “military, air-force or naval decoration”. 3 The provisions set out in subsection (1) above and numbered there as sections 44, 44A and 45 shall also be substituted for sections 29 and 30 of the Naval Discipline Act 1957, being numbered as sections 29, 29A and 30 of that Act respectively, and being modified for that purpose by the substitution throughout of “person subject to this Act” for “person subject to military law” and of “punishment authorised by this Act” for “punishment provided by this Act”, by the substitution, in the provision to become section 29A, of “29” for “44”, and by the omission throughout of “on conviction by court-martial”. Billeting offences Billeting offences. 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigation and flying offences etc. Loss or hazarding of ship. 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inaccurate certification of ships and aircraft. 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low flying and annoyance by flying. 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offences relating to, and by, persons in custody Permitting escape, resisting arrest, and escaping. 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous offences Offences in relation to courts-martial. 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unauthorised disclosure of information. 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . False statements on entry into Royal Navy. 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Offences against civilian population. 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offences against morale. 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scandalous conduct by officers. 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ill-treatment of persons of inferior rank etc. 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Disgraceful conduct. 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Attempts, aiding and abetting etc., and inciting. 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conduct to the prejudice of service discipline. 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Civil offences. 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abolition of certain offences Abolition of certain offences. 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Punishments Punishments for army and air-force offences dealt with courts-martial. 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Punishments for army and air-force offences dealt with summarily. 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Punishments for naval offences. 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Imprisonment and detention: consecutive terms. 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Detention for army and air-force offences: limitation of total period. 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other provisions Time for trial of offences under s. 42 of Naval Discipline Act 1957. 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naval offences by civilians. 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Consequential and minor, amendments. 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Part III REVISION OF PROCEDURAL PROVISIONS, AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO SERVICE OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS Arrest by civil authorities. 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exclusion of enactments requiring fiat of Attorney General etc. in connection with proceedings. 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extension of powers of “higher authority” with respect to army and air-force charges. 46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendments as to summary trial for naval offences. 47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendments as to convening or ordering of court-martial. 48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendments as to procedure of courts-martial, and evidence in naval disciplinary courts. 49 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Section 6(1) of the Criminal Evidence Act 1898 (which applies that Act to all criminal proceedings, including proceedings in courts-martial) shall be amended by inserting after the words “courts-martial” the words “under the Army Act 1955 and the Air Force Act 1955, and proceedings in courts-martial and disciplinary courts under the Naval Discipline Act 1957”. Army and air force courts-martial: amendments as to revision and confirmation of findings. 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naval findings and sentences: amendments as to reviewing authorities. 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Countries for serving of naval sentences of imprisonment and detention. 52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Commencment of naval sentences of imprisonment and detention. 53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remission of sentences of imprisonment and detention. 54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendment of Naval Discipline Act 1957 as respects effect of taking offences into consideration. 55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendments as to deserters and absentees without leave. 56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Addition to Naval Discipline Act 1957 of provisions as to proof of proceedings. 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fees for copies of proceedings of army and air-force courts-martial. 58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Part IV FORFEITURE OF PAY ETC. AND DEDUCTIONS FROM PAY Army and air force : new provisions for deductions in respect of judgement debts etc. 59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navy: amendments as to forefeitures for illegal absence. 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navy: new provisions as to forfeitures and deductions generally, and as to deductions for civil penalties, judgement debts etc. 61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendments of provisions as to service of process in maitenance proceedings. 62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Part V Miscellaneous Amendments Minimum age for enlistment or entry without parental etc. consent. 63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Purchase of discharge from army and air force. 64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Forefeiture of service for naval deserters. 65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Redress of complaints. 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naval billeting and requisitioning. 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reductions in rank under Army Act 1955 and Air Force Act 1955. 68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taking of affidavits and declarations abroad. 70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Addition to Naval Discipline Act 1957 of provision indemnifying prison officers etc. 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Application of Army Act 1955 and Air Force Act 1955 to passengers in H.M. ships and aircraft. 72 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appeal against sentence by civilians. 73 1 The Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1968 (under which appeals to the Courts-Martial Appeal Court are confined to appeals against conviction) shall be amended in accordance with subsections (2) and (3) below. 2 In section 8— a at the end of subsection (1) (which confers the right of appeal) there shall be added the words “and, if he was a civilian (as defined in subsection (5) below) both at the time of his conviction and when the offence was committed, may also with the leave of the Court appeal against his sentence, unless it is one fixed by law”, and b the following subsection shall be added after subsection (4)— 5 In this section “ civilian ” means any person who is not subject to service law (meaning military law, air-force law and the Naval Discipline Act) and any person within section 208A or 209 of the Army Act, section 208A or 209 of the Air Force Act or section 117 or 118 of the Naval Discipline Act (which apply certain provisions of those Acts to passengers in Her Majesty’s ships and aircraft, persons employed by or accompanying Her Majesty’s forces, families of members of those forces etc.). 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The provisions of Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect, being provisions making in the said Act of 1968 and the other enactments there specified amendments consequential on, or otherwise connected with, the preceding provisions of this section. Meaning of “active service” in Naval Discipline Act 1957. 74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amendments for introducing naval rate, and marine rank, of warrant officer. 75 The enactments specified in Schedule 3 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in that Schedule, being amendments connected with the introduction of the naval rate, and the marine rank, of warrant officer. Sufficency of evidence in Scottish courts. 76 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Part VI Supplemental Repeals and transitional provisions. 77 1 The enactments specified in Schedule 4 to this Act (Part II of which includes certain enactments which are spent) are hereby repealed to the extent specified in column 3 of that Schedule. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Short title, construction and commencement. 78 1 This Act may be cited as the Armed Forces Act 1971. 2 Except so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to any other enactment is a reference to that enactment as amended by or under any subsequent enactment, including an enactment contained in this Act. 3 This Act, except section 1 and this section, shall come into force on such date as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint, but subject to the qualifications specified in subsection (4) below. 4 The said qualifications are as follows:— a the following provisions of this Act, that is to say, Part II, section 69, Schedule 1 and Part I of Schedule 4, shall not have effect in relation to any act or omission occurring before the date appointed under subsection (3) above, and, in particular, shall not affect the operation of any enactment in force immediately before that date in relation to any offence against any such enactment committed, or partly committed, before that date; b the provisions to become sections 128B and 128C of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 by virtue of section 61(1) of this Act shall apply only to sums payable under sentences and orders awarded or made in respect of offences committed on or after the date appointed under subsection (3) above, or, as the case may be, to loss or damage occasioned by acts and omissions occurring on or after that date; c the provision to become section 129D of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 by virtue of section 65 of this Act shall apply only to desertions beginning on or after the date appointed under subsection (3) above, and the amendment of section 75(1) of that Act effected by section 60 of this Act and Part II of Schedule 4 shall have effect only in relation to absences so beginning. 5 Section 59 of this Act, the provision to become section 128E of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 by virtue of section 61(1) of this Act, and section 61(2) of this Act, shall each apply to liabilities arising before, as well as after, the date appointed under subsection (3) above.