Commentary First Group of Parts – Discipline Part 2 – Jurisdiction and Time Limits Section 58: Time limit for charging civilian formerly subject to service discipline
146.Where a person is alleged to have committed a service offence while he was a civilian subject to service discipline, this section provides that he cannot be charged with the offence more than six months after he ceased to be a civilian subject to service discipline. This is subject to section 61(2), which allows the charge to be brought if the Attorney General consents.
147.There are two exceptions. First, if the person became subject to service law at the same time as ceasing to be a civilian subject to service discipline, the six month period does not begin to run until he ceases to be subject to service law (when section 57 applies instead). Secondly, under Schedule 15 certain civilians are subject to service discipline only while in certain designated areas or while in any area outside the British Islands. If he ceases to be a civilian subject to service discipline only because he left such an area but was still residing or staying in that area, the six month period does not begin to run.