Make it an offence to carry a catapult in public without lawful defence

Change the law so catapult possession in public is an offence. Currently, police must prove intent or use to cause harm. We propose it becomes an absolute offence, like air rifles, without lawful defence. Rising attacks on people, animals, and wildlife show stronger powers are needed.

Catapults are increasingly linked to assaults, criminal damage, and rising wildlife attacks. Making public possession an absolute offence like air rifles with age checks, and a licensing scheme for legitimate uses like angling, would give police stronger powers.

The Government shares the concerns raised by the petitioners over the misuse of catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.

There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. For example, under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, if a person carries an offensive weapon in a public place or threatens a person with an offensive weapon, they may face up to 4 years in prison. An offensive weapon is defined as any article made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person or intended by the person having it with him for such use by him or by another person. The definition may include a catapult depending on the circumstances and facts of the case.

Where a catapult is used to harm a person, under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, it could be charged as assault occasioning actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, However, depending on the gravity of the attack and the seriousness of the injury caused by the catapult, the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent could be committed, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, the police have powers to deal with offences concerning deliberate attempts to kill, injure or inflict harm on wildlife, and this would include cases where catapults have been used. It is also an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause an animal any unnecessary suffering. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 increases the sentences available to our courts for the most serious cases of animal cruelty to, for example, pets and livestock by increasing the maximum penalty for this offence to 5 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 also provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour including that involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices (CPWs and CPNs), and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) which can be used to prevent behaviour that is having, or likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality. Through the Crime and Policing Bill we will also ensure that the police, local authorities, and other agencies have the tools and powers they need to deal with persistent anti-social behaviour and crime that is plaguing our communities. This includes increasing the maximum penalty for breach of a CPN or PSPO from £100 to £500, and the introduction of Respect Orders. Respect Orders will enable courts to ban adult offenders from engaging in harmful anti-social behaviours. This could, for example, see offenders banned from entering certain public places, where they have been behaving anti-socially.

This Government is focussed on putting neighbourhood policing at the heart of plans to reform policing, to both enforce existing laws and those that this Government is bringing forward. The Government has committed to delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles by the end of this Parliament and made £200 million available this year to support the first steps towards delivering this significant boost to neighbourhood policing.

The Home Office is providing funding this financial year for the National Rural Crime Unit as well as continuing its funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit. This will help the units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.

There are a range of offences and powers that can therefore be used to prevent the misuse of catapults, but the Government is aware of continuing concerns about the problems caused by catapults. We are actively considering what more might be done, especially around enforcement.

We do not intend to accept the petitioners’ proposal at this time. However, public safety is a Government priority, and in view of the continuing concerns, we are actively looking at what more can be done to address the misuse of catapults.

Home Office