Possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse

Legislation: Control of Weapons Act 1990 (Vic) s 6(1)

Maximum penalty: 1 year imprisonment or 120 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, 6,688 charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse were sentenced in the three years to 30 June 2023. The most common sentence for a charge of this offence was imprisonment (36.1% or 2417 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 5,545 cases sentenced in the Magistrates' Court in the three years to 30 June 2023, each case included at least one charge of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse. Among the 5,545 cases, 4,810 people were male and 735 people were female. The most common outcome for cases was imprisonment (29% or 1607 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 a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 1**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 6,688 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 2**: Imprisonment lengths for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 184 charges**

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 3**: Community correction order lengths for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 1,494 charges**

Bar graph showing fine amounts for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 4**: Fine amounts for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 235 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 a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 5**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse by financial year
**Number: 6,688 charges**

Bar graph showing the number of charges each year for the offence of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 6**: Number of charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse by financial year
**Number: 6,688 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths each year for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 7**: Average imprisonment lengths for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse by financial year
**Number: 184 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 a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 8**: Average fine amounts for charges of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse by financial year
**Number: 235 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 a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 9A**: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 5,545 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for male offenders for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 9B**: Sentencing outcomes for males for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 4,810 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for female offenders for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 9C**: Sentencing outcomes for females for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 735 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged under 25 for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 9D**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged under 25 for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 1,019 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 9E**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 4,362 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged 55 and over for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 9F**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 55 and over for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 152 cases**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 10**: Imprisonment lengths for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 2,374 cases**, including imprisonment only (1,607 cases) and imprisonment combined with a community correction order (767 cases).

Bar graph showing non-parole periods for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 11**: Non-parole periods for all people for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 1,607 cases**
**Note**: Imprisonment terms do not include a community correction order.

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 12**: Community correction order lengths for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse
**Number: 1,013 cases**

Stacked bar graph showing sentences imposed each year for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 13**: Sentencing outcomes for all cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse by financial year
**Number: 5,545 cases**

Bar graph showing the number of cases each year for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 14**: Number of cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse for all people by financial year
**Number: 5,545 cases**

Bar graph showing the average imprisonment length each year for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 15**: Average imprisonment lengths for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse by financial year
**Number: 2,374 cases**

Bar graph showing the average imprisonment length and average non-parole period for each year for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse — **Figure 16**: Average imprisonment lengths and non-parole periods (NPPs) for cases of possess a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse by financial year
**Number: 140 cases**
**Note**: *NPP Cases* in the graph indicates that only cases with a non-parole period are included.