# Explosive Substances Act 1883, Section 4: Punishment for making or possession of explosive under suspicious circumstances.

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

(1) Any person who makes or knowingly has in his possession or under his control any explosive substance, under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he is not making it or does not have it in his possession or under his control for a lawful object, shall, unless he can show that he made it or had it in his possession or under his control for a lawful object, be guilty of an offence.
(1A) A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for life.
(1B) Where a person is convicted of an offence under subsection (1) the explosive substance is to be forfeited.
(2) In any proceeding against any person for a crime under this section, such person and his wife, or husband, as the case may be, may, if such person thinks fit, be called, sworn, examined, and cross-examined as an ordinary witness in the case.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/46-47/3/section/4 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/explosive-substances-act-1883/section-4
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.