40Custody of prisoners and detainees removed pursuant to sections 36, 36A, 37, 37A and 38

### 40 Custody of prisoners and detainees removed pursuant to sections 36, 36A, 37, 37A and 38 > > (1)  [*\[Section 40 Subsection (1) amended by No. 72 of 2005, s. 84, Applied:20 Feb 2006\]*](/view/html/inforce/2006-02-20/act-2005-072#GS84@Hpb@EN) [*\[Section 40 Subsection (1) amended by No. 72 of 2005, s. 84, Applied:20 Feb 2006\]*](/view/html/inforce/2006-02-20/act-2005-072#GS84@Hpa@EN) A prisoner or detainee who is removed from a prison or secure mental health unit for the purposes of [section 36](#GS36@EN) , [37](#GS37@EN) , [37A](#GS37A@EN) or [38](#GS38@EN) is taken to be in the legal custody of the Director during the time that the prisoner or detainee – > > > > > > (a) is being removed from the prison; or > > > > > > > (b) is in a court, a hospital, an institution or another place; or > > > > > > > (c) is being removed from a place referred to in [paragraph (b)](#GS40@Gs1@Hpb@EN) to a prison – > > > > unless, during that time, the prisoner's sentence is completed or the detainee's detention has ceased. > > > (1A)  [*\[Section 40 Subsection (1A) inserted by No. 72 of 2005, s. 84, Applied:20 Feb 2006\]*](/view/html/inforce/2006-02-20/act-2005-072#GS84@Hpc@EN) A prisoner or detainee who is removed to a secure mental health unit under [section 36A](#GS36A@EN)  – > > > > > > (a) [*\[Section 40 Subsection (1A) amended by No. 69 of 2013, Sched. 1, Applied:17 Feb 2014\]*](/view/html/inforce/2014-02-17/act-2013-069#JS1@Ja9@GC6@Hpa@EN) is in the legal custody of the Director while being removed to the secure mental health unit or returned to a prison on discharge from the secure mental health unit; but > > > > > > > (b) [*\[Section 40 Subsection (1A) amended by No. 69 of 2013, Sched. 1, Applied:17 Feb 2014\]*](/view/html/inforce/2014-02-17/act-2013-069#JS1@Ja9@GC6@Hpb@EN) is not in the legal custody of the Director while he or she is in the secure mental health unit or otherwise in the custody of the controlling authority of a secure mental health unit as provided by the [Mental Health Act 2013](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2013-002) . > > > (2)  A prisoner or detainee is taken to have escaped or attempted to escape from lawful custody if the prisoner or detainee escapes or attempts to escape during the time that the prisoner or detainee – > > > > > > (a) [*\[Section 40 Subsection (2) amended by No. 72 of 2005, s. 84, Applied:20 Feb 2006\]*](/view/html/inforce/2006-02-20/act-2005-072#GS84@Hpd@EN) is being removed from a prison for the purposes of [section 36](#GS36@EN) , [36A](#GS36A@EN) , [37](#GS37@EN) , [37A](#GS37A@EN) or [38](#GS38@EN) ; or > > > > > > > (b) [*\[Section 40 Subsection (2) amended by No. 72 of 2005, s. 84, Applied:20 Feb 2006\]*](/view/html/inforce/2006-02-20/act-2005-072#GS84@Hpe@EN) is in a court, a hospital, an institution or another place, other than a secure mental health unit, for those purposes; or > > > > > > > (c) [*\[Section 40 Subsection (2) amended by No. 72 of 2005, s. 84, Applied:20 Feb 2006\]*](/view/html/inforce/2006-02-20/act-2005-072#GS84@Hpf@EN) is being removed from a place referred to in [paragraph (b)](#GS40@Gs1@Hpb@EN) or a secure mental health unit to a prison.