Knives, bladed articles, offensive weapons and corrosive substances

The knives are out! –the law as of 2025. This 60-minute presentation will examine the ever-changing position regarding knives, bladed articles, offensive weapons and corrosive substances. The legislation in this area has been changed yet again to outlaw zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes. Whether you are advising at the early stage in the police station or in the Magistrates’ Court or the Crown Court, you need to be aware of the following:

1 – The items you can no longer possess in private (subject to some pretty niche defences)

2 – Weapons that are offensive per se (e.g. knuckle duster’s) and offences that are made or adapted (e.g. a broken bottle)

3 – ‘2 strikes and you’re out’ in terms of the consideration of a mandatory minimum sentence

4 – ‘Without lawful authority’ or ‘reasonable excuse’ – the meaning of these legal concepts

5 – The meaning of ‘possession’

6 – The law as it relates to youths and the law as it relates to adults

7 – Threatening people with knives etc

8 – Case-law on zombie knives

9 – The corrosive substances that will cause you a problem if you have no good cause for carrying them – drain cleaners, acids etc

10 – Public place (including schools and places of further education)

Learning Objectives:

The aims and objectives will be to completely bring you up to speed with the law in this area in order that you can effectively advise clients both at the police station and in court or prosecute them or advise justices’.