Offensive Weapons

Prevention of Crime Act 1953 s1

A person who without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, the proof whereof shall lie on them, has with them in any public place any offensive weapon shall be guilty of an offence.

Points to Prove:

• Date & location

• Without lawful authority/reasonable excuse

• Had with them

• Public place

• Offensive Weapon

Sentence:

• Either Way

• 4 years

Bladed and Pointed Articles

Criminal Justice Act 1988 s139(1)

Any person who has an article to which this section applies with them in a public place shall be guilty of an offence.

Points to Prove:

• Date & location

• Had with them

• Without good reason/lawful authority

• A bladed/sharply pointed article

• In a public place

Sentence:

• Either way

• 4 years

Bladed and Pointed Articles (School Premises)

Criminal Justice Act 1988 s139A

(1) Any person who has an article to which section 139 of this Act applies with them on school premises shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) Any person who has an offensive weapon within the meaning of section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 with them on school grounds shall be guilty of an offence.

Points to Prove:

• Date & location

• Without good reason/lawful authority

• Had with them

• On School premises

• An offensive weapon OR article being a blade/sharply pointed

Sentence:

• Either way

• 4 years

Bladed and Pointed Articles (Power to Search School Premises)

Criminal Justice Act 139B

A constable may enter school premises and search those premises and any person on those premises for-
(a) any article to which section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 applies, OR
(b) any offensive weapon within the meaning of section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953,
if they have reasonable grounds for suspecting that an offence under section 139A of this Act is being, or has been, committed.