Today we have opened a consultation on a draft sentencing guideline covering importation of firearms and ammunition under two Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 offences.

The guideline would apply to adult offenders in England and Wales and proposes sentences of up to 28 years’ custody for the most serious cases, for example the large-scale importation of rapid-firing weapons for use in crime, and up to seven years for offences involving firearms that are less dangerous.

The consultation is seeking views on the draft guideline from judges, magistrates and others interested in this area of sentencing. It runs from 17 June 2021 to 8 September 2021.