§ Mark TamiTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average age of individuals convicted of offences involving air weapons in the last year; [25140]
(2) how many individuals were convicted of offences involving the misuse of air weapons in the last year in (a) Wales, (b) England, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. [25141]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe available information for England and Wales is in terms of convictions for offences involving air weapons as defined under the Fireams Acts, as opposed to all offences where air weapons were used. The table, derived from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, gives the number of persons convicted in 2000 and their average ages for those offences identified by the database.
Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
189W
Persons convicted of offences1 under the Firearms Acts connected with air weapons—England and Wales 2000 England2 Wales Offence Persons convicted Average age Persons convicted Average age Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act 2 15 1 13 Possessing air weapon or imitation air weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, or resist arrest etc. 4 16 — — Possession of an air weapon or imitation air weapon with intent to cause fear of violence 20 17 — — Possession of air weapons by persons previously convicted of crime 30 27 6 27 Supplying air weapons to person denied them under section 21 — — — — Carrying loaded air gun in public place etc. 160 21 10 24 Trespassing with air weapon in a building 3 15 — — Trespassing with air weapon on land 17 22 1 38 Person under 17 acquiring air weapon 3 16 — — Person under 14 having with him an air weapon or ammunition therefor 15 12 1 12 Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place 47 15 5 15 Person under 14 making improper use of air weapon when under supervision 1 11 — — Person supervising person under 14, permitting improper use of air weapon 1 25 1 39 Selling or letting on hire an air weapon to person under 17 — — — — Supplying air weapon to person under 14 2 28 — — Supplying air weapon to person drunk or insane — — — — Failure to hand over air weapon or ammunition on demand by constable — — — — Total 305 20 25 23 1 Data are given on a principal offence basis. 2 Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against at magistrates court for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust at a detailed level and have been excluded from this table. Source:
Home Office Crime and Criminal Justice Unit