{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/knives-act-1997/section-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/knives-act-1997/section-1.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1997/21",
  "legislation_title": "Knives Act 1997",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/knives-act-1997",
  "path": "section/1",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": "Unlawful marketing of knives.",
  "text": "(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he markets a knife in a way which—\n(a) indicates, or suggests, that it is suitable for combat; or\n(b) is otherwise likely to stimulate or encourage violent behaviour involving the use of the knife as a weapon.\n(2) “Suitable for combat” and “violent behaviour” are defined in section 10.\n(3) For the purposes of this Act, an indication or suggestion that a knife is suitable for combat may, in particular, be given or made by a name or description—\n(a) applied to the knife;\n(b) on the knife or on any packaging in which it is contained; or\n(c) included in any advertisement which, expressly or by implication, relates to the knife.\n(4) For the purposes of this Act, a person markets a knife if—\n(a) he sells or hires it;\n(b) he offers, or exposes, it for sale or hire; or\n(c) he has it in his possession for the purpose of sale or hire.\n(5) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 4 years, or to a fine, or to both.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 1(5) substituted (16.7.2008) by The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1216), arts. 1(4), 90(8); S.R. 2008/293, art. 2, Sch. para. 14"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/21/section/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:27:20.162617+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}