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Explanatory Memorandum to Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004

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    Notes on Articles

    Article 53 - Powers of constable to stop and search

    Empowers a constable to stop any person, whom he suspects of having a firearm or ammunition in a public place or of carrying a firearm with criminal intent or of trespassing with a firearm, and to require him to hand them over for examination. Failure to comply is an offence. A constable may search a person if he suspects him of having a firearm or ammunition in contravention of the Order. He may stop and search any vehicle if he suspects it contains a firearm in a public place or that it is being or about to be used in connection with an offence under Article 60 or 62 elsewhere than in a public place. It is an offence for the person driving or in control of the vehicle to fail to stop or to allow the vehicle to be searched. In order to exercise the powers under this Article a constable may enter any place.

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