Crossbows Act 1987 in Northern Ireland
1987 c. 32 · Enacted 15 May 1987 · Extends to United Kingdom
An Act to create offences relating to the sale and letting on hire of crossbows to, and the purchase, hiring and possession of crossbows by, persons under the age of seventeen; and for connected purposes.
[15th May 1987]
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Contents
- 1ADefences
- 3ATest purchasing
- 7Corresponding provision for Northern Ireland.
- 8Short title, commencement and extent.
1ADefencesF1
It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under section 1 (referred to in this section as “ the accused ”) to show that—
the accused believed the person to whom the crossbow or part was sold or let on hire (referred to in this section as “ the purchaser or hirer ”) to be aged 18 or over, and
either—
the accused had taken reasonable steps to establish the purchaser or hirer's age, or
no reasonable person could have suspected from the purchaser or hirer's appearance that the purchaser or hirer was under the age of 18.
For the purposes of subsection (1)(b)(i), the accused is to be treated as having taken reasonable steps to establish the purchaser or hirer's age if and only if—
the accused was shown any of the documents mentioned in subsection (3), and
the document would have convinced a reasonable person.
Those documents are any document bearing to be—
a passport,
a UK driving licence,
a European Union photocard driving licence, or
such other document, or a document of such other description, as the Scottish Ministers may by order made by statutory instrument prescribe.
A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (3)(c) is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the Scottish Parliament.
3ATest purchasingF1
A person under the age of 18 who buys or hires, or attempts to buy or hire, a crossbow or a part of a crossbow does not commit an offence under section 2 or 3 if the person is authorised to do so by the chief constable for the purpose of determining whether an offence is being committed under section 1.
A chief constable may authorise a person under the age of 18 to buy or hire, or attempt to buy or hire, a crossbow or a part of a crossbow only if satisfied that all reasonable steps have been or will be taken to—
ensure the person's safety, and
avoid any risk to the person's welfare.
7Corresponding provision for Northern Ireland.
An Order in Council under paragraph 1(1)(b) of Schedule 1 to the M1Northern Ireland Act 1974 (legislation for Northern Ireland in the interim period) which contains a statement that it is made only for purposes corresponding to the purposes of this Act—
shall not be subject to paragraph 1(4) and (5) of that Schedule (affirmative resolution of both Houses of Parliament), but
shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
8Short title, commencement and extent.
This Act may be cited as the Crossbows Act 1987.
Sections 1 to 6 shall come into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed.
Sections 1 to 6 shall not extend to Northern Ireland.