Weapons offences are governed by the Firearms Act 1968 and the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, with the Crime and Policing Bill 2025 introducing a new offence for possessing a knife with intent. The Bill also increases the maximum penalty for manufacturing, selling, or lending prohibited weapons and gives police greater powers to seize knives from properties. Firearms offences often carry 'minimum mandatory' custodial sentences of 5 years, reflecting the state's aggressive prosecution of weapons-related crime.

Defending weapons charges involves challenging the 'possession' element and instructing independent ballistics experts to test the lethality of the item. The Sentencing Bill 2025 encourages suspended sentences for custodial terms of 12 months or less, subject to the court's assessment of risk and personal mitigation. The role of the defence is also to identify 'exceptional circumstances' to avoid mandatory minimum sentences and to challenge the lawfulness of searches and seizures under PACE. Proactive representation is critical for managing the impact of Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs) and addresses new offences for unauthorised possession of weapons in prison.