The definitive guidelines for sentencing firearms offences were published on 9 December 2020 and come into force on 1 January 2021. The eight guidelines cover offences under the Firearms Act 1968:

A separate guideline on firearms importation offences was published on 24 November and will come into force on 1 January 2022.

Consultations

The consultation on draft guidelines for sentencing firearms offences opened on 9 October 2019 and closed on 14 January 2020.

The separate consultation on sentencing firearms importation offences opened on 17 June 2021 and closed on 8 September 2021.

Related documents

To support the guidelines and consultations, the Council also publishes a range of documents. These documents may include consultation responses, statistical bulletins, resource and equality impact assessments and guideline assessments.

Related documents: firearms offences