Part XI Miscellaneous

Articles with blades or points and offensive weapons

139BF1Power of entry to search for articles with a blade or point and offensive weapons.

1

A constable may enter school premises and search those premises and any person on those premises for—

a

any article to which section 139 of this Act applies, or

b

any offensive weapon within the meaning of section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953,

if he has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence under section 139A of this Act is being, or has been, committed.

2

If in the course of a search under this section a constable discovers an article or weapon which he has reasonable grounds for suspecting to be an article or weapon of a kind described in subsection (1) above, he may seize and retain it.

3

The constable may use reasonable force, if necessary, in the exercise of the power of entry conferred by this section.

4

In the application of this section to Northern Ireland the reference in subsection (1)(b) above to section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 is to be construed as a reference to Article 22 of the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987.