Airguns (Prosecutions) (Hansard, 12 November 1981)

§ Mr. Colin Shepherd
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions have been secured under existing law relating to the use and ownership of airguns in each of the last five years; and if he will categorise these.

§ Mr. Mayhew
The readily available information on the number of offenders found guilty whose principal offence was under the Firearms Act 1968 and involved an air weapon is given in the following table. The compilation of data on the numbers found guilty at the Crown Court during the period 1976–78 of offences in the second group shown in the table would involve disproportionate cost.

Offenders found guilty of offences under the Firearms Act 1968 involving air weapons^*

England and Wales Number of offenders

Section of the Act 1976 1977 1978 1979† 1980†

16, 17(1), 17(2),18(1), 20(2),22(4), 22(5),23(1), 24(4), 25, 47(2) 2,202 2,133 2,117 1,828 1,696

19, 20(1), 21(4),21(5), 22(1),24(1) 2,220‡ 2,025‡ 2,045‡ 1,668 1,884

^* As defined in section 1(3)(b) of the Act.

† The figures for 1979 and 1980 are not comparable with those for earlier years because of a change in the counting procedure; prior to 1979 both principal indictable and principal non-indictable offences were counted; see paragraphs 16–20 of Appendix I of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1980", (Cmnd. 8376).

‡ For the years 1976–78 the figures for these sections cover offenders found guilty at magistrates' courts only: figures for the Crown Court are not readily available.

§ Mr. Colin Shepherd
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many instances of damage attributable to the abuse of airguns have been reported to the police in each of the last five years; and how many have resulted in successful prosecutions;
(2) how many instances of injury to persons from the use of airguns have been notified to the police in each of the last five years; and how many of these have resulted in successful prosecutions.

§ Mr. Mayhew
Numbers of serious offences recorded by the police in which air weapons were reported to have caused injury or criminal damage valued at over £20 are124W published annually in Criminal Statistics England and Wales—tables 3.7 and 3.4 respectively of the volume for 1980, Cmnd. 8376. Information collected centrally on prosecutions does not separately identify offences in which air weapons were used.

Offenders found guilty of offences under the Firearms Act 1968 involving air weapons^*
England and Wales	Number of offenders
Section of the Act	1976	1977	1978	1979†	1980†
16, 17(1), 17(2),18(1), 20(2),22(4), 22(5),23(1), 24(4), 25, 47(2)	2,202	2,133	2,117	1,828	1,696
19, 20(1), 21(4),21(5), 22(1),24(1)	2,220‡	2,025‡	2,045‡	1,668	1,884
^* As defined in section 1(3)(b) of the Act.
† The figures for 1979 and 1980 are not comparable with those for earlier years because of a change in the counting procedure; prior to 1979 both principal indictable and principal non-indictable offences were counted; see paragraphs 16–20 of Appendix I of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1980", (Cmnd. 8376).
‡ For the years 1976–78 the figures for these sections cover offenders found guilty at magistrates' courts only: figures for the Crown Court are not readily available.