Commentary First Group of Parts – Discipline Part 6 – Summary Hearing and Appeals and Review Section 139: Savings for maximum penalties for offences
292.This section places restrictions on the punishments which can be awarded by a CO when he is hearing a criminal conduct charge either alone or in combination with a non-criminal conduct offence. Where a CO is hearing a criminal conduct charge on its own, he may only award detention if the Court Martial would be able to do so for that offence and any fine must not exceed that which the Court Martial could have awarded for that offence.
293.Where the CO makes an award of punishment relating to more than one offence he may not award detention unless the Court Martial could have done so for at least one of the offences; and, where the offences are criminal conduct offences, he may not award a fine greater than the total of the fines that the Court Martial could have awarded under section 42.