Criminal Justice Act 1988

[F1 139AA Offence of threatening with article with blade or point or offensive weapon E+W

(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.

[F2 (6A) For provision about the sentence which the court may be required to impose where a person aged 16 or over is convicted of an offence under this section, see section 312 of the Sentencing Code.]

F3 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3 (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3 (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(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.

F4 (11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(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.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 139AA inserted (3.12.2012) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), ss. 142(2), 151(1); S.I. 2012/2770, art. 2(a)

F2 S. 139AA(6A) inserted (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 24 para. 92 (with Sch. 24 para. 447, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2

F3 S. 139AA(7)-(9) repealed (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 28 (with ss. 413(4)(5), 416(7), Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2

F4 S. 139AA(11) repealed (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 28 (with ss. 413(4)(5), 416(7), Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 139AA modified in part (1.12.2020 immediately before the consolidation date (see 2020 c. 9, ss. 3, 5(2)(3) and 2020 c. 17, ss. 2, 416)) by Sentencing (Pre-consolidation Amendments) Act 2020 (c. 9), ss. 1, 5(2)(3); S.I. 2012/1236, reg. 2