Overview

This bill introduces a 10-year statute of limitations on civilian court proceedings against members of the UK armed forces for murder, manslaughter, or culpable homicide, and attempts thereof, committed during military operations or similar circumstances. The limitation only applies if the alleged offence was investigated by a relevant authority.

Description

This bill establishes a 10-year time limit for bringing civil lawsuits against UK armed forces personnel for murder, manslaughter, culpable homicide, or attempts of these offences. This limitation applies only if:

• The alleged crime occurred more than 10 years before the lawsuit is filed.
• The accused was subject to military law or civilian service discipline during the alleged offence while engaged in a UK armed conflict or peacekeeping operation.
• If the offence took place in the UK, the event was investigated by a service police force, a UK police force, a coroner, or a procurator fiscal.

The 10-year period does not include time spent by the accused absent without leave or fleeing justice, or if a trial was deemed inappropriate due to ongoing conflict.

The bill defines key terms, such as "armed forces," "civilian court," "coroner," "procurator fiscal," "service police force," and "UK police force," referencing existing legislation for precise definitions.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to significantly impact government spending. No specific figures are provided in the bill text itself.

Groups Affected

• UK Armed Forces Personnel (Current and Former): This bill provides legal protection to them against potential lawsuits after a 10-year period.
• Victims of alleged crimes: This bill may limit the ability of victims or their families to seek legal redress after 10 years, potentially leading to feelings of injustice.
• Civilian Courts: The bill will reduce the number of cases they will have to deal with.
• Lawyers and Legal Professionals: The number of cases will potentially be impacted.

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