Catapults and the Law
It is legal to own a catapult in England & Wales, and to purchase one, as there is no general ban on them.
The Prevention of Crime Act 1953 gives the police powers over “offensive weapons”, including items that are made or adapted for causing injury or carried with intent to cause injury.
Government ministers rejected a petition for a blanket ban on catapults in April 2025, stating it “needed to balance public concerns with respect for lawful users such as anglers.”
The law doesn’t list catapults explicitly as prohibited weapons. Instead the determination depends on how the item is made/adapted or how it is intended/used.
For wildlife/animal-welfare offences: the fact that an item like a catapult is used to injure or kill a protected species can make it illegal under animal-welfare/wildlife law.
A catapult used responsibly for recreational purposes (in private, safe area) is much less likely to cause legal trouble. But using it where others might get harmed, or where wildlife is protected, raises legal risk.
Even if you’re on private land, laws about wildlife protection or cruelty to animals or damage to property may still apply.
Local authorities may have additional by‐laws or restrictions (especially around public places) though the main legal framework is national.
Prevention of Crime Act 1953 (1 & 2 Eliz. 2 c.14)
This Act makes it an offence for a person to carry an “offensive weapon” in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
The term “offensive weapon” is defined to include:
an article made for causing injury to the person, or
an article adapted for use for causing injury, or
an article intended by the person having it for that use.
While the Act does not list “catapult” explicitly, a catapult could fall under the definition of “offensive weapon” depending on how it is used or the intent of the person carrying it.
In practice, possession in a public place of a catapult with intent to cause injury, or adapted for that purpose, could lead to prosecution. But mere ownership or transport without such intent may not automatically be an offence.
Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 (c. 3)
Applies in England & Wales (and Scotland) but not Northern Ireland.
Under Section 1: It is an offence for any person, with intent to inflict unnecessary suffering, to mutilate, kick, beat, nail or otherwise impale, stab, burn, stone, crush, drown, drag or asphyxiate any wild mammal.
So, if someone uses a catapult to injure a wild mammal, this Act may apply.
Note: there are exceptions (for example lawful pest control, or humane destruction) in Section 2.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
While this Act does not specifically mention catapults, it provides protection of wild birds and other protected species. According to the Government response, this Act is among the legislation that already protects wildlife against misuse of catapults.
Offensive Weapons Act 2019
While this Act focuses strongly on knives, corrosive substances, and other weapons, rather than explicitly on catapults, it is relevant to the overall framework of offensive-weapons law in England & Wales. Note: The statutory guidance states that it applies to England & Wales for certain parts (Part 4: Possession of certain offensive weapons). But catapults are not listed as specific prohibited weapons under this Act.
Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 (c 39)
Section 47: Prohibition of the carrying of offensive weapons. “Any person who has with him in any public place any offensive weapon shall be guilty of an offence…”
Section 47(4): Definition of “offensive weapon” includes an article “made or adapted for use for causing injury to a person” or “intended, by the person having the article, for use for causing injury”.
Section 49: Offence of having in a public place an article with a blade or sharply pointed. (Less relevant to catapults, but part of the broader weapons law).
Hence in Scotland, similarly to England & Wales, a catapult could be treated as an offensive weapon if used or carried with intent to cause injury.
Offensive Weapons Act 2019 (as applied to Scotland)
For Scotland, parts of this Act apply (and Scottish statutory guidance exists).
For example, Section 51 of the Act: Offence of threatening with offensive weapon in a public place etc.
Again: catapults are not explicitly listed as prohibited weapons.
Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996
Applies in Scotland (subject to certain limitations) for the protection of wild mammals.
In Scotland: Carrying a catapult in a public place could contravene Section 47 of the 1995 Act if it is treated as an offensive weapon (made/adapted for causing injury or intended by the person for that use).
Use of a catapult to injure wildlife could engage the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996.
Scottish guidance emphasises that the context and intent are key (i.e., an everyday item can become an offensive weapon by virtue of how it is used)
Have you ever wondered what UK law says about hunting with dogs, shooting, or collecting bird eggs? Or what protection foxes, badgers, bats, and birds of prey have? Whether a gamekeeper is using a snare, spring trap, or a cage trap legally? Wanted to know more about operating drones, using airguns, or driving quad bikes legally? What the different forms of trespass are, what constitutes assault, or what we should do if we’re arrested?
And have you ever been unimpressed with having to search hunting and shooting websites to find some of the information you need?
Us too! Which is why we have developed ‘Protectors of the Wild‘ and laid out the information we need in over thirty simple, mobile-friendly pages just like this one.
‘Protectors of the Wild‘ is a free resource to help us all become ‘eyes in the field’ by learning how to recognise, record, and report wildlife crime and wildlife persecution.
After all, the more we know, the more any potential criminal will have to be looking over their shoulder wondering if we know enough to Recognise, Record, and Report what they’re up to.
And the more we can all do to help protect the wild.
To access all Protectors information please go to Protectors of the Wild
Have you ever wondered what UK law says about hunting with dogs, shooting, or collecting bird eggs? Or what protection foxes, badgers, bats, and birds of prey have? Whether a gamekeeper is using a snare, spring trap, or a cage trap legally? Wanted to know more about operating drones, using airguns, or driving quad bikes legally? What the different forms of trespass are, what constitutes assault or harassment, or what we should do if we’re stopped and searched or even arrested?
And have you ever been unimpressed with having to search hunting and shooting websites to find some of the information you need?
Us too! Which is why we have developed ‘Protectors of the Wild‘ and laid out the information we need in forty-one simple, mobile-friendly pages and over 500 FAQs just like this one.
‘Protectors of the Wild‘ is a free resource with two aims: to help us all become ‘eyes in the field’ by learning how to recognise, record, and report wildlife crime and wildlife persecution; and to provide a ‘quick guide’ to anyone interacting with hunts, hunt supporters, or the police.
After all, the more we know, the more any potential criminal will have to be looking over their shoulder wondering if we know enough to Recognise, Record, and Report what they’re up to, and the more we know our rights the better we can protect ourselves.
And the more we can all do to help protect the wild.
The National Wildlife Crime Unit currently has seven priority offences for wildlife crime.
Badger persecution
It is illegal to interfere with or block a badger’s home or ‘sett’. Badger baiting is a centuries-old now illegal blood sport, where small dogs such as terriers or lurchers seek badgers out of their setts before fighting and killing them.
Bat persecution
Bats and their homes are legally protected, so disturbing or removing them is an offence. If bats roost in your roof, you need to obtain a special ‘bat mitigation licence’ from Natural England to be allowed to disturb them. They are hugely important to our ecosystem.
Trade of endangered species
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) sets out which endangered animals and plants have protected status. It is illegal to remove any of them from their natural habitat, possess, or sell them. Currently, the top priorities are European eels, birds of prey, ivory, medicinal and health products, reptiles, rhino horns, and timber.
Freshwater pearl mussel offences
These Endangered mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera) are only found in rivers in Scotland and small parts of England. They can live for more than 130 years but are extremely sensitive to water pollution and have been illegally farmed for years. It is illegal to damage or destroy their habitat or to take, injure or kill them.
Poaching
Fox, deer, and hare hunting are all illegal under the Hunting Act 2004. Poaching offences also cover illegal fishing – when anglers do not obtain a licence or remove protected fish from lakes and rivers without returning them.
Raptor persecution
Birds of prey are often targeted on shooting estates. Their eggs are also traded illegally. It is an offence to target, poison, or kill them, with a particular focus on Golden Sagles, Goshawks, Hen Harriers, Peregrines, Red Kites, and White-tailed Eagles. Disturbing or taking their eggs or chicks is also illegal.
Cyber-enabled wildlife crime
Social media is often used to promote wildlife crime and recruit people to take part in it. Endangered plants and animals are also traded illegally online.
- Punishment must fit the crime. Conditional discharges and paltry fines are not a disincentive for criminals.
A common complaint is that even if wildlife criminals are brought to court the fines or sentences they get are pathetic and not a disincentive. In most cases judges are giving out the penalties they are allowed to under the law. Changes can be made though. In 2022 the maximum sentence for ‘causing uneccesary suffering’ went from six months to five years. That was the result of targeted public pressure and campaigning. We need to identify where changes should be made and push hard for them.
- Wildlife crime must be notifiable and statistics accurately compiled so that resources can be properly targeted.
Police forces are required by law to inform the Home Office of any notifiable offences, which then uses the reports to compile the crime statistics known as ‘recorded crime’. Currently, wildlife crimes are not ‘notifiable’ though (and wildlife crime involving firearms are also not recorded as firearms offences by the Police). Without them being notifiable, no one knows how many wildlife crimes are being committed across the UK and where the hotspots are (though ‘grouse moors’ is one obvious response). As we have stated many times on this website, law and legislative enforcement is hugely underfunded and under-resourced. Some of this has undoubtedly been through political choice, but if we at least know which crimes are being committed and where, the resources that are available can be placed where they are needed most.
- There must be changes to make it far easier for all of us to play our part in ‘Recognising, Reporting, Recording’ wildlife cime.
As even a quick glance at the Protectors pages makes clear, laws protecting wildlife are hard to understand. Major pieces of legislation like the Hunting Act 2004 and other laws are riddled with exemptions which strongly favour the hunting, shooting, and agricultural industries. Some date from a century or more ago and don’t reflect the modern world. These need to be updated. While there has undoubtedly been efforts made by successive governmants to use ‘plain english’ to explain legislation, any government wanting to tackle wildlife crime needs to make understanding what is and what isn’t a crime far more easily understood and put resources into a reporting system that the public feel confident using. Crucially, the public need to be sure that if they do report a crime it will be acted upon.
- We have to protect the environment and wildlife properly.
Laws protecting wildlife and the environment need to be revised to reflect the 21st century and the biodiversity and climate crises we are in. Animals (and plants) are not an add-on or a ‘nice to have’ – they have shaped the systems that life depends on, and our laws need to reflect how critically important they are.
We would like Protectors of the Wild to be the ‘go to’ free resource, packed with the kind of information that really does help all of us become ‘eyes in the field. But we can’t possibly think of every question that might need answering or every situation someone might find themselves in! And while the information in these pages is largely taken from Government online advice and was compiled in 2023 (and constantly updated), perhaps we’ve missed something out or could have worded something more clearly.
If you could provide us with legal advice get in touch. Or if you find a mistake or a gap please let us know. That way we can continually improve Protectors of the Wild – for the benefit of animals and all of us. Thanks.
‘Protectors of the Wild’ is a project of Protect the Wild. We have a dedicated email address for anyone wishing to get in touch with a specific Protectors query or with additional information etc. Please use the form on our Contact Protectors page or email protectors@protectthewild.org.uk. Thank you.
Much of the information we give in these pages is very technical or to do with legislation which can be revised without much notice. While we have worked very hard on these pages and we take keeping our information accurate and up-to-date very seriously, Protect the Wild are not legal professionals. Just to make sure no-one thinks we’re offering professional legal advice, we feel obliged to include the following disclaimer on every page.
- Please think of the ‘Protectors of the Wild’ pages as a ‘first stop’ before seeking legal advice. We provide detailed information but not professional advice. The information provided by Protect the Wild should NOT be considered or relied on as legal advice and is for general informational purposes only. Any of the material on our website may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no legal obligation to update such material. While we update and revise as often as we can, Protect the Wild assumes no responsibility for the accuracy and correctness of any information, or for any consequences of relying on it. Please do not act or refrain from acting upon this information without seeking professional legal advice.