Possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)

Legislation: Control of Weapons Act 1990 (Vic) s 5AA

Maximum penalty: 2 years imprisonment or 240 penalty units

Period: 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2023

Jurisdiction: Magistrates' Court

Charges

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Cases

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All outcomes

Males

Females

Aged 18 to 24

Aged 25 to 54

Aged 55 and over

*Note: unavailable options have under 10 cases

Charge data

In the Magistrates' Court, 6,271 charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) were sentenced in the three years to 30 June 2023. The most common sentence for a charge of this offence was a fine (31.1% or 1950 charges).

On SACStat, a charge is a single count of a sentenced offence. Charge data is most useful in understanding how a specific crime is usually sentenced.

Case data

In 5,061 cases sentenced in the Magistrates' Court in the three years to 30 June 2023, each case included at least one charge of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm). Among the 5,061 cases, 4,419 people were male and 642 people were female. The most common outcome for cases was a fine (30.6% or 1550 cases).

A case is a collection of one or more charges against a person or company sentenced at the one hearing. Case data is most useful in understanding the total sentence usually imposed on people found guilty of a particular crime.

Bar graph showing sentence types imposed for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 1**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 6,271 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 2**: Imprisonment lengths for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 175 charges**

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 3**: Community correction order lengths for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 1,514 charges**

Bar graph showing fine amounts for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 4**: Fine amounts for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 424 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Stacked bar graph showing sentences imposed each year for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 5**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 6,271 charges**

Bar graph showing the number of charges each year for the offence of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 6**: Number of charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 6,271 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths each year for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 7**: Average imprisonment lengths for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 175 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes imprisonment that was not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate imprisonment).

Bar graph showing fines amounts each year for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 8**: Average fine amounts for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 424 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Bar graph showing sentence types for all offenders for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 9A**: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 5,061 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for male offenders for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 9B**: Sentencing outcomes for males for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 4,419 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for female offenders for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 9C**: Sentencing outcomes for females for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 642 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged under 25 for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 9D**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged under 25 for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 776 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 9E**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 4,082 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged 55 and over for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 9F**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 55 and over for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 192 cases**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 10**: Imprisonment lengths for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 1,792 cases**, including imprisonment only (1,064 cases) and imprisonment combined with a community correction order (728 cases).

Bar graph showing non-parole periods for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 11**: Non-parole periods for all people for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 1,064 cases**
**Note**: Imprisonment terms do not include a community correction order.

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 12**: Community correction order lengths for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 955 cases**

Stacked bar graph showing sentences imposed each year for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 13**: Sentencing outcomes for all cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 5,061 cases**

Bar graph showing the number of cases each year for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 14**: Number of cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) for all people by financial year
**Number: 5,061 cases**

Bar graph showing the average imprisonment length each year for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 15**: Average imprisonment lengths for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 1,792 cases**

Bar graph showing the average imprisonment length and average non-parole period for each year for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 16**: Average imprisonment lengths and non-parole periods (NPPs) for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 163 cases**
**Note**: *NPP Cases* in the graph indicates that only cases with a non-parole period are included.