Section 25 – Requirement for commercial sales of air weapons to be in person
98.This section requires that commercial sales of air weapons are done face-to-face, and is intended to make analogous provision to section 32 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. Subsection (1) sets out that this section applies to all sales by way of trade or business except those between two Registered Firearms Dealers, and to those where the sale is concluded outside Great Britain (for example mail order sales).
99.Subsection (2) requires that, at the point at which possession of the air weapon(s) is/are transferred to the purchaser, both the purchaser and the seller – or the seller’s representative – must be physically present, otherwise the seller commits an offence. Subsection (3) sets out different categories of person who may act as a representative of the seller for the purposes of this section. A “person” here means a non-natural (e.g. corporate bodies) as well as a natural person. This offence attracts strict liability.
