Part 7: Sentencing and release Chapter 1: Custodial sentences Section 127: Starting points for murder committed when under 18
This section inserts new paragraph 5A into Schedule 21 to the Code in place of the existing paragraph 6. It replaces the 12-year starting point for all children who commit murder with different starting points based on the age of the child and the seriousness of the offence.
	The starting points are set out in a table. Column 1 includes three age groups; those aged 14 or under, 15 to 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds. Each age group has a starting point for each of the four levels of seriousness of the offence. These levels of seriousness are the same as set out in paragraphs 2(1), 3(1), 4(1) and 5(1) of Schedule 21which apply to adults who commit murder.
	For children, cases with a level of exceptionally high seriousness (paragraph 2) fall into the starting point of paragraph 3. This reflects paragraph 3(2)(i) of the Code which states that a murder that would fall within paragraph 2 of the Schedule falls into paragraph 3 if the offender was aged under 21 when the offence was committed.
	This section also applies the changes that replace the current starting point to service personnel who are sentenced to Detention at Her Majesty’s Pleasure ("DHMP").