Part 3: Sale and delivery of knives Section 42: Delivery of bladed articles to persons under 18
This section makes provision in relation to a new offence for delivery companies related to delivery of bladed articles following remote sales by overseas sellers.
	Section 42 applies to delivery companies that have entered into an arrangement with a seller of bladed articles, who is outside of the United Kingdom, to deliver bladed articles to buyers in the United Kingdom. This only applies to bladed articles that have been sold when the seller, or person acting on the seller’s behalf, and the buyer have not been in each other’s presence at the time of the sale (i.e. the sale was made remotely, whether by telephone or online).
	Subsection (2) makes provision to ensure that the offence in subsection (4) applies to both individuals and companies.
	Subsection (3) sets out when a person other than an individual is outside the United Kingdom.
	Subsection (4) provides that it is a criminal offence if the delivery company to which this section applies does not deliver the bladed article into the hands of a person aged 18 or over.
	Subsections (5) to (9) set out the defences that apply to this offence, which differ depending on whether the delivery company is charged with an offence in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is a defence to show that the delivery company took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence (subsection (5)). In Scotland, the accused must show that they believed the person they delivered the article to was aged 18 or over and either took reasonable steps to establish that persons age or could not reasonably have suspected the person was under the age of 18 (subsections (6) to (9)).
	Subsection (10) sets out the penalties for this offence. The maximum penalty on summary conviction in England and Wales is a fine, and on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland is a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.
	Subsection (11) provides the definition of a bladed article for the purposes of this section, which includes knives and certain articles with a blade or sharp point.
	This section forms part of the law of the United Kingdom.