Devon & Cornwall Police Firearms team

Prohibited Persons

Section 21 of the Firearms Act 1968 specifies conditions that prohibit certain persons from having in their possession a firearm or ammunition after conviction.

• A person who has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of three months or more but less than three years (including youth custody or detention in a young offenders institution), shall not at have a firearm or ammunition in his possession at any time during the period of five years from the date of his release.
• A person who has been sentenced to custody for life, or to preventive detention, imprisonment or corrective training (including youth custody or detention in a young offenders institution), for a term of three years or more, shall not have a firearm or ammunition in his possession for life.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Police Act 2014 extended these conditions.

• From 14 July 2014, where a person receives a suspended sentence of three months or more;
  They shall not have a firearm or ammunition in his possession at any time during the period of five years beginning with the second day after the date on which the sentence was passed.
  (This timescale has been set so that a person who is in possession of a firearm or ammunition is not in immediate breach of the law when the sentence is passed and has an opportunity to make arrangements to transfer or dispose of their firearm or ammunition)
• A person who received a suspended sentence before 14 July 2014 and already has a firearm certificate they will be able to retain their firearm and ammunition for the duration of their certificate.
  At the point of expiry they will not be granted a renewal of their certificate or permitted retain their firearms and ammunition until after the five year period from the second day after sentencing.