§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) men and (b) women, who were under the age of 21 years, have been convicted of
Table A Number of offenders aged under 21 years who were found guilty of offences of possession of knives in the Metropolitan Police District1 by sex 1988–90 Offence Males Females 1988 1989 1990 1988 1989 1990 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse2 765 587 400 36 17 11 Having article with blade or point in public place3 23 174 180 — 6 7 1 Including City of London. 2 Prevention of Crime Act 1953, Section I. 3 Criminal Justice Act 1988, Section 139, which came into force in October 1988.
Table B Number of persons prosecuted in magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts of offences of possession of knives in England and Wales by sex 1988–90 Offence Males Females 1988 1989 1990 1988 1989 1990 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse1 Prosecuted 7,487 6,623 5,911 297 264 250 Found guilty 5,572 4,908 4,120 221 189 161 Having article with blade or point in public place2 Prosecuted 145 1,927 2,053 5 90 92 Found guilty 125 1,471 1,508 5 73 69 1 Prevention of Crime Act 1953, Section 1. 2 Criminal Justice Act 1988, Section 139, which came into force in October 1988.