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Firearms Act 1968
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Firearms Act 1968, Section 24ZA is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 14 May 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act amended by 1997 c. 5 s. 12(2) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 12 was repealed (17.12.1997) by 1997 c. 64, s. 2(7), Sch.; S.I. 1997/3114, art. 3, Sch. Pt. I)
- Blanket amendment words substituted by S.I. 2011/1043 art. 3 4
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 3A inserted by 2023 c. 49 s. 2
- s. 11(3A)-(4A) substituted for s. 11(4) by 2023 c. 49 s. 1(2)
- s. 51(2A) added by 1997 c. 48 s. 62(1) Sch. 1 para. 3
[F124ZAFailing to prevent minors from having air weaponsE+W+S
(1)It is an offence for a person in possession of an air weapon to fail to take reasonable precautions to prevent any person under the age of eighteen from having the weapon with him.
[F2(2)Subsection (1) does not apply where by virtue of section 23 of this Act the person under the age of eighteen is not prohibited from having the weapon with him.]
[F2(2)Subsection (1) does not apply where—
(a)the person under the age of 18 holds an air weapon certificate granted under section 5 of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015, or
(b)the use or possession of the weapon by the person under the age of 18 is otherwise in accordance with Part 1 of that Act.]
(3)In proceedings for an offence under subsection (1) it is a defence to show that the person charged with the offence—
(a)believed the other person to be aged eighteen or over; and
(b)had reasonable ground for that belief.
(4)For the purposes of this section a person shall be taken to have shown the matters specified in subsection (3) if—
(a)sufficient evidence of those matters is adduced to raise an issue with respect to them; and
(b)the contrary is not proved beyond a reasonable doubt.]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 24ZA inserted (10.2.2011) by Crime and Security Act 2010 (c. 17), ss. 46(2), 59(1); S.I. 2011/144, art. 2
F2S. 24ZA(2) substituted (S.) (31.12.2016) by Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 (asp 10), s. 88(2), sch. 2 para. 1(7); S.S.I. 2016/130, art. 3(c)
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