Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Crime, justice and the law
  3. Sentencing, prison and probation

Extended custodial sentence

This page will provide you with information on Extended Custodial Sentences (ECS).

What is an Extended Custodial Sentence (ECS)

An ECS is a public protection sentence which can be imposed when an offender has committed certain violent or sexual offences listed in schedule two of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, on or after 15 May 2008, and the court believes that they are likely to commit further similar offences in the future.

The sentence involves a portion of time spent in custody (at least one year) and a period of time under licence conditions (extension period). The judge will set a period of custody depending on the offence and will then add to this a further period in which the offender will be supervised on licence in the community after they have been released.

ECS prisoners will be referred to the Parole Commissioners (PCNI) about six months before the mid point of their sentence. They must show they can be safely released into the community. If PCNI direct release, the prisoner will be on licence for the rest of the custodial term as well as the licence period set by the court.

Where the decision is not to direct release, the case must be referred back to PCNI within two years, if an earlier date has not been recommended. The Department of Justice or Secretary of State must release the prisoner when the custodial part of the sentence has expired. The prisoner will get standard licence conditions as well as bespoke conditions, if required, prescribed by the Department of Justice or Secretary of State. The Department of Justice or Secretary of State will contact PCNI about the bespoke conditions before release.

Licence conditions

The licence period can be up to five years for violent offences and eight years for sexual offences. During the licence period, conditions of a licence can be added, varied or cancelled in consultation with the PCNI. An offender is liable for recall to custody if they break their conditions and might need to serve the rest of their sentence in custody.

More useful links

  • Indeterminate Custodial Sentence (ICS)
  • Determinate Custodial Sentence (DCS)
  • Licence Revocation and National Security
  • Parole Commissioners (PCNI)
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Sentencing, prison and probation

  • Appealing a verdict
  • Court fines
  • Custodial sentences
  • Determinate Custodial Sentence - 12 months or more
  • Extended custodial sentence
  • Indeterminate custodial sentence
  • Licence revocation and national security
  • Life Sentence
  • Non-custodial sentences
  • Offender levy
  • Prison in Northern Ireland
  • Probation and community sentencing
  • Verdicts and sentencing

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS