(2) what the average sentence handed down to people convicted of carrying an illegal firearm under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 was in each of the last three years.
[holding answer 27 March 2007]: The minimum five year sentence (three years for those aged 16 or 17) came into force on 22 January 2004. The available information, relating to England and Wales for 2004 and 2005, is contained in table one. Data sent to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 5 June (see table 2) show that the average sentence for firearms possession has increased from 27.3 months in 2003 to 47.3 months in 2005. The equivalent figures in 1995 were 12.1 months.
Figures for 2006 will be available in the autumn.
Of which: 5 years or over2 Offence Statutes Year Age group Total persons sentenced Persons given immediate custody No. % of total sentenced Average custodial sentence length (months) Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition or firearm disguised as other object. Firearms Act 1968 sections 5(1)(a),(ab),(aba),(ac),(ad), (ae), (af) or (c) and section 5(1 A)(a) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 section 287. 20043 16-17 49 10 5 10.2 25.0 18-20 122 35 13 10.7 39.5 21+ 565 206 63 11 .2 35.3 Total 736 251 81 11.0 35.3 2005 16-17 32 9 4 12.5 26.0 18-20 59 34 18 30.5 45.5 21+ 294 199 124 42.2 48.6 Total 385 242 146 37.9 47.3 1 Principal offence basis. 2 Three years in the case of persons aged 16-17. 3 Many of the persons dealt with in 2004 will have committed their offences prior to the mandatory sentence being introduced in January 2004. Source: RDS-NOMS, Home Office
Of which: 5 years or over2 Offence Statutes Year Age group Total persons sentenced Persons given immediate custody No. % of total sentenced Average custodial sentence length (months) Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition or firearm disguised as other object. Firearms Act 1968 sections 5(1 )(a), (ab), (aba)3, (ac), (ad), (ae), (af)4 or (c) and section 5(1A)(a) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 section 287. 1995 16-17 39 4 — — 3.0 18-20 102 10 — — 10.2 21+ 524 70 1 0.2 12.9 Total 665 84 1 0.2 12.1 1996 16-17 34 5 — — 6.0 18-20 87 10 — — 3.2 21 + 597 93 9 1.5 19.4 Total 718 108 9 1.3 17.2 1997 16-17 32 3 — — 10.7 18-20 105 9 — — 2.7 21 + 639 94 7 1.1 16.8 Total 776 106 7 0.9 15.3 1998 16-17 36 2 — — 4.5 18-20 159 19 — — 5.4 21 + 836 150 7 0.8 15.1 Total 1,031 171 7 0.7 13.9 1999 16-17 36 2 — — 7.5 18-20 98 12 — — 5.2 21 + 666 124 7 1.1 17.1 Total 800 138 7 0.9 15.9 2000 16-17 35 3 . _ 10.0 18-20 109 16 1 0.9 14.4 21 + 585 123 5 0.9 19.6 Total 729 142 6 0.8 18.7 2001 16-17 62 2 — — 8.0 18-20 148 21 — — 7.5 21 + 529 108 7 1.3 21.0 Total 739 131 7 0.9 18.7 2002 16-17 54 8 — — 9.8 18-20 115 26 — — 16.6 21 + 603 140 15 2.5 23.0 Total 772 174 15 1.9 21.3 2003 16-17 52 8 — — 11.0 18-20 121 23 — — 18.6 21 + 713 183 34 4.8 29.3 Total 886 214 34 3.8 27.3 20045 16-17 49 10 5 10.2 25.0 18-20 122 35 13 10.7 39.5 21+ 565 206 63 11.2 35.3 Total 736 251 81 11.0 35.3 2005 16-17 32 9 4 12.5 26.0 18-20 59 34 18 30.5 45.5 21 + 294 199 124 42.2 48.6 Total 385 242 146 37.9 47.3 1 Principal offence basis. 2 Three years in the case of persons aged 16-17. 3 Came into force during 1997. 4 Came into force during 2004. 5 Many of the persons dealt with in 2004 will have committed their offences prior to the mandatory sentence being introduced in January 2004. Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice