The Minister announces new rules to maximize prison sentences for knife crime with immediate effect

NEW laws are to be introduced in Ireland which will, with immediate effect, maximize prison terms for knife crime.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee today announced that she had signed a new law that will allow maximum sentences for four knife offenses.

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The act enters into force today, September 30.

The Commencement Order brings into force Part 9 of the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024.

This Regulation amends the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.

The new law currently provides for four offenses that can carry maximum penalties.

Possessing a knife in a public place with intent to injure, disable or intimidate a person will now be extended from five to seven years.

The crime of trespassing using a knife, murder weapon or other object with a blade or sharp point has also increased.

For producing an article likely to cause serious injury, the prison sentence will also be increased from five to seven years.

The biggest jump will see prison terms for producing, importing, selling, lending or lending prescribed offensive weapons from seven to 10 years.

The change follows recommendations from the knife crime subgroup of the Anti-Social Behavior Expert Forum, chaired by Minister of State James Browne.

“SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENSES”

Speaking about the new law, Minister McEntee said: “Knife crime is a serious offense that can have far-reaching and devastating consequences.

“These amendments are a necessary strengthening and balancing of penalties for knife crime under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.”

She added that the increased penalties would now confirm how seriously the Government was taking knife crime following a recent increase in knife crime on Ireland’s streets.

She continued: “The increased penalties show that the Government is serious about not only possessing knives, but also carrying or producing a knife or other object with the purpose of threatening, intimidating or causing injury.

“I am also increasing the maximum penalty for producing, importing, selling, renting or lending prescribed offensive weapons. This will further help keep knives and other offensive weapons off our streets.

“These amendments reflect the true gravity of the offenses concerned and will ensure that in the most serious cases, courts can impose a sentence that fully fits the crime.

“These latest increases to the criminal penalties available to the justice system follow my earlier doubling of the maximum sentence for assault causing harm, increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy, murder to life and increasing the maximum sentence for assault on a peace officer.”

FATAL CONDUCTS

Minister Browne welcomed the new regulations, saying the number of fatal knife crimes in recent years was a “legitimate” concern for the public.

He said: “I want to thank members of the Anti-Social Behavior Forum for their work, and especially the Knife Crime Subgroup. These increased penalties result from the recommendations provided to me by the Forum.

“A number of extremely serious and in some cases fatal knife attacks in recent years have led to a justifiable increase in public concern about the criminal possession and use of knives.

“The Government has listened to the public’s concerns and these changes to the law aim to ensure that criminals are properly punished and reduce the use of knives in crime.

“The offenses in question have a clear and significant degree of criminal intent. They pose a serious threat to community security, both in themselves and because they can precede serious and sometimes deadly attacks.

“These increases in maximum penalties will send a message that the offenses in question are completely unacceptable behavior in our society.”