20.This section relates to conditions which are applied to air weapon certificates. Conditions are defined in section 40(1) as including requirements and restrictions and may comprise positive or negative obligations. Conditions may therefore place restrictions on the way that the certificate holder stores or uses their weapons, or may require the holder to carry out certain administrative functions (for example, informing the Chief Constable if they change address).
21.Subsection (1) sets out that all air weapon certificates will carry certain mandatory conditions, which will be specified in regulations issued under section 36. Subsection (2) allows the Chief Constable to attach additional conditions to certificates as required, and to change a certificate’s conditions at the time of renewal.
22.Subsection (3) specifies that conditions attached by the Chief Constable must not be inconsistent with or undermine the effect of any of the mandatory conditions (as required by subsection (1)), or any other condition attached as a requirement of this Part (for example, the conditions for 14-17 year olds required by section 7(3)).
23.Subsections (4) and (5) create the offence of non-compliance with any conditions attached to an air weapon certificate, and set out the maximum penalty available respectively. This offence attracts strict liability.