Offensive Weapons Act 2019

55 Prohibition of certain firearms etc: Northern Ireland

(1) The Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (SI 2004/702 (NI 3)) is amended as follows.

(2) In Article 45 (weapons subject to general prohibition), in paragraph (1), after sub-paragraph (e) insert—

“(ea) any rifle with a chamber from which empty cartridge cases are extracted using—

(i) energy from propellant gas, or

(ii) energy imparted to a spring or other energy storage device by propellant gas,

other than a rifle which is chambered for .22 rimfire cartridges;”.

(3) In Article 45(1), for the “and” at the end of sub-paragraph (f) substitute—

“(fa) any device (commonly known as a bump stock) which is designed or adapted so that—

(i) it is capable of forming part of or being added to a self-loading firearm, and

(ii) if it forms part of or is added to such a firearm, it increases the rate of fire of the firearm by using the recoil from the firearm to generate repeated pressure on the trigger; and””.

(4) In Article 2(2) (interpretation), in the definition of “prohibited weapon” and “prohibited ammunition”, after “including,” insert “in the case of weapons, any devices falling within paragraph (1)(fa) of that Article and,”.

(5) In Article 70(1)(a) (minimum sentence for certain offences), in each of heads (ii) and (iv), after “(e)” insert “, (ea), (fa)”.

(6) In Schedule 5 (table of punishments)—

(a) in the entry for Article 45(1)(a), (aa), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (g), in the first column, after “(e)” insert “, (ea), (fa)”,

(b) in the entry for Article 61(1), in the third column, for “or (e)” substitute “, (e), (ea) or (fa)”, and

(c) in the entry for Article 62(1), in the third column, for “or (e)” substitute “, (e), (ea) or (fa)”.

(7) The amendments made by subsection (5) apply only in relation to—

(a) an offence under Article 45(1)(ea) or (fa) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (SI 2004/702 (NI 3)) which is committed after the coming into force of subsection (5), and

(b) an offence under a provision listed in Article 70(1A) of that Order in respect of a firearm specified in Article 45(1)(ea) or (fa) of that Order which is committed after the coming into force of subsection (5).