Criminal Legislation in 1959
| Author | W. H. D. Winder |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6003300104 |
| Date | 01 January 1960 |
| Published date | 01 January 1960 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
W.
H.
D.
WINDER,
M.A.(Oxon.),
LL.M.(Lond.)
English Legal Correspondent of
THE
POLICE JOURNAL
Criminal
Legislation
In
1959
RESTRICTION
OF
OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ACT, 1959
THE CARRYING of an offensive weapon without lawful authority or
excuse is an offence under the Prevention of Crime Act, 1953,
which tightened the law considerably and gave a power of arrest
without warrant.
The
Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act, 1959,
carries matters a stage further by attacking the mischief at its source
and bringing the dealer in such weapons within the reach of the
criminal law. The Act is an Act
"to
amend the law in relation to
the making and disposing and importation of flick knives and other
. dangerous weapons."
It
creates a new offence which may be com-
mitted by "any person who manufactures, sells or hires or offers for
sale or hire, or lends or gives to any person" certain dangerous
weapons. The importation of such weapons .is also expressly
prohibited.
Section 1, which is the operative section, applies to "(a) any
knife which has a blade whichopens automatically by hand pressure
applied to a button, spring or other device in or attached to the
handle of the knife, sometimes known as a 'flick knife' or 'flick
gun'," and (b) any knife which has a blade which is released from
the handle or sheath thereof by the force of gravity or the applica-
tion of centrifugal force and which, when released, is locked in
place by means of a button, spring, lever, or other device, sometimes
known as a 'gravity knife'."
The
punishment for a first offence on
summary conviction is imprisonment for not mote than three
months or fine not exceeding £50, or both imprisonment and fine.
For
a second or subsequent offence the penalties are greater. The
Act does not give any power to arrest without warrant.
26 The Police Journal
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