From April 6, 2022, new laws to tighten the sale of knives and corrosive substances will be in force.
These new measures will place new responsibilities on retailers and couriers in the delivery of these items if bought online and makes these persons criminally liable if the items are delivered to someone under the age of 18.
Packages containing offensive weapons must be clearly marked and may only be handed to the recipient once their age has been verified by an appropriate form of ID. These items must not be delivered to any communal delivery location, such as lockers, and retailers are advised to contact police if they believe to be in receipt of a corrosive or bladed item.
The new guidance will also restrict items previously not under the category of offensive, such as cutlery knives, so they now also require age verification when a purchase is made.
As stated in section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, sale of the following bladed articles to under 18s is prohibited, including:
- Any knife, knife blade or razor blade (other than blades permanently enclosed in a cartridge or housing where less that 2mm is exposed)
- Any axe; and
- Any other article which has a blade, or which is sharply pointed, and which is made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person
For more information about the Offensive Weapons Act, click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-offensive-weapons-act-2019
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