(1)In the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, after section 1 (prohibition of the carrying of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse) insert—
(1)A person is guilty of an offence if that person—
(a)has an offensive weapon with him or her in a public place,
(b)unlawfully and intentionally threatens another person with the weapon, and
(c)does so in such a way that there is an immediate risk of serious physical harm to that other person.
(2)For the purposes of this section physical harm is serious if it amounts to grievous bodily harm for the purposes of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.
(3)In this section “public place” and “offensive weapon” have the same meaning as in section 1.
(4)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
(a)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;
(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 4 years or to a fine, or to both.
(5)Where a person aged 16 or over is convicted of an offence under this section, the court must impose an appropriate custodial sentence (with or without a fine) unless the court is of the opinion that there are particular circumstances which—
(a)relate to the offence or to the offender, and
(b)would make it unjust to do so in all the circumstances.
(6)In this section “appropriate custodial sentence” means—
(a)in the case of a person who is aged 18 or over when convicted, a sentence of imprisonment for a term of at least 6 months;
(b)in the case of a person who is aged at least 16 but under 18 when convicted, a detention and training order of at least 4 months.
(7)In considering whether it is of the opinion mentioned in subsection (5) in the case of a person aged under 18, the court must have regard to its duty under section 44 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
(8)In relation to an offence committed before the commencement of section 154(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the reference in subsection (4)(a) to 12 months is to be read as a reference to 6 months.
(9)In relation to times before the coming into force of paragraph 180 of Schedule 7 to the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, the reference in subsection (6)(a) to a sentence of imprisonment, in relation to an offender aged under 21 at the time of conviction, is to be read as a reference to a sentence of detention in a young offender institution.
(10)If on a person's trial for an offence under this section (whether on indictment or not) the person is found not guilty of that offence but it is proved that the person committed an offence under section 1, the person may be convicted of the offence under that section.”
(2)In the Criminal Justice Act 1988 after section 139A (offence of having article with blade or point or offensive weapon on school premises) insert—
(1)A person is guilty of an offence if that person—
(a)has an article to which this section applies with him or her in a public place or on school premises,
(b)unlawfully and intentionally threatens another person with the article, and
(c)does so in such a way that there is an immediate risk of serious physical harm to that other person.
(2)In relation to a public place this section applies to an article to which section 139 applies.
(3)In relation to school premises this section applies to each of these—
(a)an article to which section 139 applies;
(b)an offensive weapon within the meaning of section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953.
(4)For the purposes of this section physical harm is serious if it amounts to grievous bodily harm for the purposes of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.
(5)In this section—
“public place” has the same meaning as in section 139;
“school premises” has the same meaning as in section 139A.
(6)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
(a)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;
(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 4 years or to a fine, or to both.
(7)Where a person aged 16 or over is convicted of an offence under this section, the court must impose an appropriate custodial sentence (with or without a fine) unless the court is of the opinion that there are particular circumstances which—
(a)relate to the offence or to the offender, and
(b)would make it unjust to do so in all the circumstances.
(8)In this section “appropriate custodial sentence” means—
(a)in the case of a person who is aged 18 or over when convicted, a sentence of imprisonment for a term of at least 6 months;
(b)in the case of a person who is aged at least 16 but under 18 when convicted, a detention and training order of at least 4 months.
(9)In considering whether it is of the opinion mentioned in subsection (7) in the case of a person aged under 18, the court must have regard to its duty under section 44 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
(10)In relation to an offence committed before the commencement of section 154(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the reference in subsection (6)(a) to 12 months is to be read as a reference to 6 months.
(11)In relation to times before the coming into force of paragraph 180 of Schedule 7 to the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, the reference in subsection (8)(a) to a sentence of imprisonment, in relation to an offender aged under 21 at the time of conviction, is to be read as a reference to a sentence of detention in a young offender institution.
(12)If on a person's trial for an offence under this section (whether on indictment or not) the person is found not guilty of that offence but it is proved that the person committed an offence under section 139 or 139A, the person may be convicted of the offence under that section.”
(3)Schedule 26 (knives and offensive weapons: minor and consequential amendments) has effect.