NEW laws are set to come in to maximise the prison sentence of knife crime in Ireland with immediate effect.
Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee announced today that she has signed a new law which will allow maximum penalties for four knife related crimes.
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The law comes into effect from today, September 30.
The Commencement Order gives effect to Part 9 of the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024.
This amends the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.
There are now set to be four offences under the new law which can be punishable by the maximum sentence.
The possession of a knife in a public place with intent to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate a person will now increase from five to seven years.
The offence of trespass with a knife, weapon of offence or other article which has a blade or sharp point has also increased from five to seven years.
The production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury will also see an increase from five to seven years in prison.
The biggest jump will see the manufacture, importation, sale, hire or loan of prescribed offensive weapons going from seven to 10 years behind bars.
This change comes after recommendations from the knife crime sub-group of the Expert Forum on Anti-Social Behaviour, which is chaired by Minister of State James Browne.
‘SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENCES’
Speaking of the new law, Minister McEntee said: “Knife crimes are serious criminal offences, which can have far reaching and devastating consequences.
“These amendments represent a necessary strengthening and rebalancing of the penalties for knife crime under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.”
She added that the increased penalties will now prove how serious the Government is regarding knife crime due to its recent rise on Irish streets.
She contined: “The increased penalties show that this Government is serious about tackling not only the possession of knives, but also carrying or producing a knife or other article to threaten, intimidate or cause injury.
“I am also increasing the maximum penalty for manufacturing, importing, selling, hiring or loaning prescribed offensive weapons. This will further help to keep knives and other offensive weapons off our streets.
“These amendments reflect the true gravity of the offences in question and will ensure that, in the most serious cases, the courts can impose a sanction that fully matches the crime.
“These latest increases in the criminal penalties available to the judiciary follow on from my earlier doubling of the maximum sentence for assault causing harm, increases to the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder to life, and increases to the maximum sentence for assaulting a peace officer.”
FATAL STABBINGS
Minister Browne welcomed the new laws, stating that the number of fatal knife crimes in recent years is a “valid” public concern.
He said: “I want to thank the members of the Forum on Anti-Social Behaviour for their work, and particularly the Subgroup on knife crime. These increased penalties are a result of the recommendations made to me by the Forum.
“A number of extremely serious, and in some cases fatal, knife attacks in recent years have caused a valid increase in public concern about the criminal possession and use of knives.
“The Government has listened to the public’s concerns and these changes in the law are aimed at ensuring that offenders are appropriately punished and that the use of knives in crime is reduced.
“The offences in question involve a clear and significant degree of criminal intent. They represent a significant threat to community safety, both in their own right, and because they can be precursors to serious and sometimes fatal assaults.
“These increases in the maximum sentences will send the message that the offences in question are wholly unacceptable behaviour in our society.”
