Weapons Offences Lawyer
Cairns & Far North Queensland
You have been charged with a weapons offence. You may have had a firearm, a knife, or another weapon seized by police. You are wondering whether you are going to jail — and whether the answer depends on the type of weapon. It does. The difference between weapons charges in Queensland is not a matter of degree. For certain categories of weapon and certain circumstances, the court has no discretion — mandatory minimum imprisonment applies and cannot be suspended. For other categories, a fine or no conviction is a realistic outcome. What happens next depends on the weapon, the circumstances, and…
Your Charge Determines What Happens Next
Weapons offences in Queensland are governed by the Weapons Act 1990 (Qld). The charge you face — and the penalty range — depends on the category of the weapon and what the prosecution alleges you were doing with it. Unlawful possession under section 50 is the most common weapons charge in the Cairns Magistrates Court. It covers possessing a weapon without an appropriate licence. The penalty…
Your Firearms Licence Is Also at Risk
A weapons charge triggers automatic suspension of any current firearms licence under section 21 of the Act from the moment the charge is before the court. Conviction results in mandatory disqualification — 5 years at the lower end, permanent disqualification for serious categories. If you rely on a firearms licence for work — primary industries, pest management, security — the licence consequence…
When the Evidence Is the Question
How the weapon came to be in your possession matters. Temporary possession, holding a weapon for someone else, or not knowing a weapon was in a shared vehicle are factually different from deliberate unlicensed acquisition. Where possession or knowledge is genuinely contestable, that is a live issue in the matter. Where there are issues with how the weapon was found — the basis for the search,…
What Changes the Outcome
The mandatory minimums aside, most weapons charges carry a wide sentencing range. The difference between a fine and actual imprisonment — or between a conviction recorded and none — comes down to preparation. Whether the mandatory minimum actually applies. These provisions are specific — they require a defined weapon category, a defined circumstance, and an adult offender. Getting this analysis…
Fixed Fees
- Weapons Offence — Category A, B or M — $2,100
- Weapons Offence — Category C, D, H, R or Prohibited — $4,800