Anyone know what's going on at st.m's church?

[detective-boy]

<goes to check what the law is on carrying knives is>

In short: You can´t carry a knife or anything else "for your own protection" as it would be an intended offensive weapon, (s.1 Prevention of Crimes Act 1953) - arrestable and I think a two year imprisonment sentence.

Any "made" (i.e. flick knife, lock-knife, combat knife, cosh, baton, knuckleduster, martial arts weapon) or "adapted" (e.g. sharpened comb, broken bottle) offensive weapon would be an offence REGARDLESS of your intent.

Any sharply pointed or bladed implement at all (except a free-folding pocket knife with a cutting edge of less than 3") is an offence under s.139 Criminal Justice Act 1988, again regardless of intent.

In all cases there are defences of lawful authority or reasonable excuse. The latter could be given a run if you are in specific, genuine, provable fear at a particular time / place ... but I wouldn´t be popping down to Ladbrokes to put a few bob on it succeeding!

 

[dogmatique]

So the Swiss Army knife I carry in my bag for getting stones from hoofs is illegal? It's got most things on it, but more worryingly, a 3.5 inch blade that locks...

 

[Red Faction]

well how about this scenario that cropped up a few weeks back
i was going round to a mates- his mum was paying us to sort out their jungle/garden
i walked from brixton hill to herne hill with:
hedge clippers, secaters (sp?), other big tree chopping implements
i decided to leave the axe at home
the only reason i walked was because neither me nor him had access to a car at the time
and the garden needed to be done.
in the end we filled almost 20 big black bags and a wheelie bin full of 'garden refuse' or whatever you want to call it


BUT

Had i been stopped by police with this assortment of dangerous items
would i have been in trouble?
if i had taken the axe with me?

honestly, i went to cut his garden
if id had the axe on me
and someone attacked me with a knife
and i axed them in self defence...
or hedge-clipped them in self defence...

would i be facing a prison sentence?

 

[scruff]

I'll never move back to London. Give me quiet Brighton anyday.

Thoughts go out to the poor guys family.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

The only time I have been confronted with a gun was on a day trip to Brighton, in the Lanes.
Doesn't make the Brixton incident any less dreadful, but I wonder have you ever read Brighton Rock? Or the Argus, for that matter?

 

[Loki]

Just clocked this thread. What a sad pointless loss

 

[detective-boy]

So the Swiss Army knife I carry in my bag for getting stones from hoofs is illegal? It's got most things on it, but more worryingly, a 3.5 inch blade that locks...

If it locks and has a cutting edge over 3" it is not automatically exempt. You would need to show a "reasonable excuse".

BUT

Had i been stopped by police with this assortment of dangerous items
would i have been in trouble?
if i had taken the axe with me?

honestly, i went to cut his garden
if id had the axe on me
and someone attacked me with a knife
and i axed them in self defence...
or hedge-clipped them in self defence...

would i be facing a prison sentence?

You would have a "reasonable excuse" for having the things on the way there and back (on foot or in a car, it makes no difference so long as you are in a public place). If attacked you can use such force as is reasonable and necessary to defend yourself. If the circumstances are such that you can justify using something which is innocently around at the time (like your assorted tools) then that would be OK. (But you might expect to be asked some hard questions by police / court if you caused anyone serious damage!)