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Serious crime prevention order on conviction

May be made by	The Crown Court
Relevant legislation	Serious Crime Act 2007, part 1 (section 19 – 21)
Availability	Can be made by the Crown Court if the offender has: been convicted of a serious offence and there are reasonable grounds to believe that the order would protect the public by preventing, restricting or disrupting involvement by the person in serious crime in England and Wales. A serious offence is one which is specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 or is one which the court considers to be sufficiently serious to be treated for the purposes of the application as if it were so specified.
Content of the order	An order may contain prohibitions, restrictions or requirements and any other terms that the court considers appropriate for the purpose of protecting the public by preventing, restricting or disrupting involvement by the offender in serious crime in England and Wales. The SCPO can contain prohibitions, restrictions or requirements. For example the SCPO may include: Prohibitions, restrictions, or requirements in relation to: an individual’s financial, property or business dealings or holdings an individual’s working arrangements the means by which an individual communicates or associates with others, or the persons with whom the individual communicates or associates the premises to which an individual has access the use of any premises or item by an individual an individual’s travel (whether within the United Kingdom, between the United Kingdom and other places or otherwise) Requirement(s) to answer questions, or provide information, specified or described in an order: at a time, within a period or at a frequency at a place in a form and manner, and to a law enforcement officer or description of law enforcement officer notified to the person by a law enforcement officer specified or described in the order Requirement(s) to produce documents specified or described in an order: at a time, within a period or at a frequency at a place in a manner, and to a law enforcement officer or description of law enforcement officer notified to the person by a law enforcement officer specified or described in the order. The order may include prohibitions, restrictions or requirements in relation to an individual’s private dwelling (such as where an individual may reside).
Length of the order	The order must specify when it comes into force and when it will end. The order cannot exceed 5 years. The order may specify different times for different provisions but must be clear about when each starts and ends.
Effect on earlier orders	Where an offender is already the subject of a serious crime prevention order that existing order must be discharged.
Powers of Crown Court to vary orders on conviction	Where the Crown Court is dealing with a person who has been convicted of having committed a serious offence in England and Wales and is the subject of a SCPO: · The Court may, in addition to dealing with the person in relation to the offence, vary the order if the court has reasonable grounds to believe that the terms of the order as varied, would protect the public by preventing, restricting or disrupting involvement by the person in serious crime in England and Wales. Such a variation may only be made on an application by the relevant applicant authority. A variation can only be made in addition to a sentence imposed in respect of the offence concerned (including conditional discharge). A variation may include an extension of the period during which the order, or any provision of it, is in force)
Consequences of breach	Breach of a SCPO is a criminal offence, maximum penalty five years’ custody.