Firearms – Possession with intent to endanger life

s.16 Firearms Act 1968 · Crown Court

Sentencing framework

The guideline for sentencing in cases of 'Firearms – Possession with intent to endanger life' structures the process around assessing two main factors: culpability and harm. Offenders are categorized based on the seriousness of their actions and the harm posed or inflicted. Each category maps to starting points and ranges for sentencing, ensuring that both the nature of the crime and the offender’s background are considered to deliver a fair and proportional sentence.

Maximum sentence

Life imprisonment

Court

Crown Court

Starting point

18 years’ custody

Offence range

4 – 22 years’ custody

Aggravating factors

·Previous convictions
·Offence committed whilst on bail
·Offence motivated by hostility based on characteristics of the victim
·Firearm under section 5(1)(a)
·Firearm modified to make it more dangerous
·Steps taken to disguise firearm
·Firearm/ammunition held with multiple weapons and/or substantial quantity of ammunition
·Offence committed in a domestic abuse context
·Offence committed as part of a group
·Offence committed to further organised criminal activity
·Expectation of substantial financial gain
·Attempts to conceal or dispose of the firearm

Mitigating factors

·No previous convictions or no relevant/recent convictions
·Positive character and/or exemplary conduct
·Involved through coercion, intimidation, or exploitation
·Voluntary surrender of firearm/ammunition
·Offender co-operated with investigation and/or made early admissions
·Remorse
·Serious medical condition requiring urgent, intensive or long-term treatment
·Age and/or lack of maturity
·Sole or primary carer for dependent relatives
·Pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care
·Difficult and/or deprived background or personal circumstances
·Prospects of or in work, training or education

Sentencing range explorer

Select the culpability level and harm category to see the guideline's starting point and category range. This is an educational illustration of the published guideline — not a sentence calculation, and not legal advice. Courts apply the full step-by-step process, aggravating and mitigating factors, and the totality principle.

Culpability

Harm

Select a culpability level and a harm category above.

The sentencing process, step by step

Step 1 – Determining the offence category
Step 2 – Starting point and category range
Step 3 – Minimum Term and exceptional circumstances
Step 4 – Consider any factors which indicate a reduction for assistance to the prosecution
Step 5 – Reduction for guilty pleas
Step 6 – Dangerousness
Step 7 – Totality principle
Step 8 – Ancillary orders
Step 9 – Reasons
Step 10 – Consideration for time spent on bail (tagged curfew)

Guideline notes

This offence is subject to statutory minimum sentencing provisions which are taken into account at steps 2 and 3. Sentencers should follow each step of the guideline to ensure that all relevant factors are considered.

Always read the full guideline

This is a one-page summary. For any live case, sentencing exercise, or legal advice the authoritative source is the Sentencing Council's own definitive guideline — including the category bands, step-by-step sentencing approach, and all statutory factors not captured here.

Open the full guideline on sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Source: Sentencing Council · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-28. Not legal advice — see a regulated adviser for any live case.