Part 1: Corrosive products and substances Possession of corrosive substances Section 6: Offence of having a corrosive substance in a public place
Subsection (1) of this section provides that a person commits an offence if they are in possession of a corrosive substance in a public place. A "corrosive substance" is a substance which is capable of burning human skin by corrosion.
	Subsection (2) provides that it is a defence in England and Wales and Northern Ireland for the person charged to prove they had good reason or lawful authority for having the corrosive substance with them in a public place.
	Subsection (3) provides that it is a defence in England and Wales and Northern Ireland for the person charged to prove that they had the corrosive substance with them for use at work.
	Subsection (4) provides that it is a defence in Scotland for a person charged with the offence in Scotland to show they had a reasonable excuse or lawful authority for having the corrosive substance with them in a public place.
	Subsection (5) provides that it is a defence in Scotland for the person charged to show that they had the corrosive substance with them for use at work.
	Subsection (6) provides that in relation to a person charged in Scotland, the accused will be considered to have shown they had a reasonable excuse or lawful authority where they have produced sufficient evidence to raise an issue in relation to the defence and the contrary has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
	The offence is triable either way. On summary conviction in England and Wales a person is liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or to a fine or both, and in Scotland to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both. In Northern Ireland the maximum sentence is 6 months imprisonment, a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both. The maximum 12-month sentence in England and Wales is contingent on section 154(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 coming into force and until that time the maximum sentence will be six months. On conviction on indictment in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland a person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 4 years, to a fine or both.
	Subsection (9) defines a corrosive substance and a public place for the purposes of section 6. There is a different definition of public place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from that which applies to Scotland.
	This section forms part of the law of the United Kingdom.