Articles with blades or points and offensive weaponsSection 139
139 Offence of having article with blade or point in public place.E+W.(1)Subject to subsections (4) and (5) below, any person who has an article to which this section applies with him in a public place shall be guilty of an offence. .
(2)Subject to subsection (3) below, this section applies to any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed except a folding pocketknife. .
(3)This section applies to a folding pocketknife if the cutting edge of its blade exceeds 3 inches. .
(4)It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had good reason or lawful authority for having the article with him in a public place. .
(5)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4) above, it shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had the article with him .
[F1(a)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or both; .
(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F2four] years, or a fine, or both.] .
(7)In this section “public place†includes any place to which at the material time the public have or are permitted access, whether on payment or otherwise. .
(8)This section shall not have effect in relation to anything done before it comes into force.
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