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 2019 to 30 June 2024

Jurisdiction: higher courts

Charges

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Cases

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All outcomes

Males

Females

Aged under 25

Aged 25 to 54

Aged 55 and over

*Note: unavailable options have under 10 cases

Charge data

In the higher courts, 441 charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) were sentenced in the five years to 30 June 2024. The most common sentence for a charge of this offence was imprisonment (62.4% or 275 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 18 cases sentenced in the higher courts in the five years to 30 June 2024, possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) was the principal proven offence (the most serious crime in the case). Among the 18 cases, 18 people were male and 0 people were female. The most common outcome for cases was a community correction order (44.4% or 8 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: 441 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: 223 charges**
**Range and median**: The shortest imprisonment length is 0 years (i.e. the prison sentence was one or two days), the longest is 3 years, and the median is 0.08 years, meaning that half of the imprisonment lengths are below 0.08 years and half are above.
**Note**: The graph only includes imprisonment that was not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate imprisonment).

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 4**: Community correction order lengths for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 44 charges**
**Range and median**: The shortest community correction order length is 0.67 years, the longest is 3 years, and the median is 2 years, meaning that half of the community correction order lengths are below 2 years and half are above.

Bar graph showing fine amounts for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 5**: Fine amounts for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 63 charges**
**Range and median**: The lowest fine amount is $100, the highest is $2,500, and the median is $300, meaning that half of the fine amounts are below $300 and half are above.
**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 6**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 441 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 7**: Number of charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 441 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths each year for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 8**: Average imprisonment lengths for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 223 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes imprisonment that was not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate imprisonment).

Bar graph showing community correction order lengths each year for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 9**: Average community correction order lengths for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 44 charges**

Bar graph showing fines amounts each year for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 10**: Average fine amounts for charges of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 63 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 11A**: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 18 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 11B**: Sentencing outcomes for males for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 18 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 11E**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 12 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 18**: Sentencing outcomes for all cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) by financial year
**Number: 18 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 19**: Number of cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) for all people by financial year
**Number: 18 cases**

Bar graph showing age groups of offenders for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 22A**: Ages of offenders (where age is known) for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 18 cases**

Bar graph showing gender of offenders for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 22B**: Gender of offenders (where gender is known) for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 18 cases**

Bar graph showing the number of charges in cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm) — **Figure 22C**: Number of charges per case (of any sentenced offence) for cases of possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon (other than an imitation firearm)
**Number: 18 cases**