Revised Statute from The UK Statute Law Database
Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 (c.37)
This version of this statute is extracted from the UK Statute Law Database (SLD). It is not necessarily in the form in which it was originally enacted but is a revised version, which means that any subsequent amendments to the text and other effects are incorporated with annotations.
Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959
1959 CHAPTER 37 7_and_8_Eliz_2
An Act to amend the law in relation to the making and disposing and importation of flick knives and other dangerous weapons.
[14th May 1959]
1 Penalties for offences in connection with dangerous weapons
(1) Any person who manufactures, sells or hires or offers for sale or hire, [F1or exposes or has in his possession for the purpose of sale or hire] or lends or gives to any other person—
(a) any knife which has a blade which opens 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”; or
(b) any knife which has a blade which is released from the handle or sheath thereof by the force of gravity or the application 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”,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction in the case of a first offence to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding [F2fifty pounds][F2level 4 on the standard scale] orto both such imprisonment and fine, and in the case of a second orsubsequent offence to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding [F2two hundred pounds][F2level 4 on the standard scale]or to both such imprisonment and fine.
(2) The importation of any such knife as is described in the foregoing subsection is hereby prohibited.
Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F1 Words inserted by Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1961 (c. 22), s. 1
F2 Words beginning “level 4” substituted (S.) for “fifty pounds” and “two hundred pounds” by virtue of Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), ss. 289E–289G
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1 S. 1 amended by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), s. 46(1), Sch. 8 para. 16
C2 Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289E (in relation to liability on first and subsequent convictions), applies (S.)
C3 Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 35 (in relation to liability on first and subsequent convictions), 38 (increase of fines) and 46 (substitution of references to levels on the standard scale) apply (E.W.)
C4 S. 1(2) extended to Northern Ireland by Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1961 (c. 22), s. 2
2 Short title, commencement and extent
(1) This Act may be cited as the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959.
(2) This Act shall come into operation at the expiration of the period of one month beginning with the day on which it is passed.
(3) This Act shall not extend to Northern Ireland.
Annotations:
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1 S. 2(3) excluded by Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1961 (c. 22), s. 2