Britain Bans Boy Scout Knives...

[Bill Harsey]

...being carried by their Scouts.
Since I guess these are now "weapons" I figured this was safe to link to in our Edged Weapons area.

Here's the story:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211475/Britains-blade-culture-claims-victim--Scouts-penknives.html#ixzz0QLldqYql

[f50lrrp]

Lord Basen-Powell is probably rolling in his grave! I remember as a youngster in England strapping a 6" Bowie knife onto my belt.

[sal]

Hi Bill,

Everything in Britain comes with zippers. :p

Seriously though. The Brits have created a lot of new knife laws in the past 10 years. No points on kitchen knives is the current "plan".

Locking knives are illegal without "good reason". No folders (must be slip-joints) with blades over 3.0" permitted to be carried.

Belgium and Germany have also followed suit with similar laws. South Africa is fighing knife legistlation, as is Australia. Denmark says no one handers, no locks, Finand and Sweden are likewise facing knife issues.

I guess the future will be safer for everyone. :(

sal

[JJ_BPK]

The UK is going down hill quickly,,

This is a note I sent to friends a couple years ago..

Story I:


Police arrest and try to prosecute their own retired police-chief with the
pocket knife they gave him as his retirement gift???

Swiss Army knife leads ex-police chief to fall foul of his old force, By
ANDY DOLAN, 9th March 2007

www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=441033&in_page_id=1770&ito=newsnow

As a keen hiker, Brian Seaton was delighted to receive a Swiss Army Knife as
a retirement gift from his colleagues in the force. But the former chief
inspector ended up back in the arms of the law after he tried to take it on
a walking holiday in Spain. His one-time comrades in the Leicestershire
force questioned him and he was taken to court charged with possessing a
knife in public without good reason. Mr Seaton, 63, was dragged through the
courts in a case that lasted nine months at a cost to the taxpayer of up to
£10,000. Mr Seaton, a policeman for more than 20 years until his retirement
in 1996, said yesterday: 'I can't believe this ever went so far. It's a
farce.' His ordeal began as he boarded a flight to Majorca at East Midlands
airport last June. Security staff, who were on heightened alert for
potential trouble-makers heading to the World Cup, found the three-inch
knife in Mr Seaton's hand luggage, Leicester Magistrates' Court heard. It
was inside his washbag, which he had transferred to his carry-on bag after
check-in staff told him his suitcase was too heavy. He had forgotten the
knife was there but it was spotted in an X-ray scan during a security check.
Mr Seaton immediately handed it over and assumed the matter was closed. But
when he tried to reclaim it at Loughborough police station on his return
from Spain, he found that his troubles were just beginning. He was told
officers wanted to interview him, and he agreed to be questioned but refused
a formal caution. A file was passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service,
which decided there was enough evidence to prosecute Mr Seaton. The father
of two said: 'When I found out what was happening I couldn't believe it.'
He was finally cleared on Wednesday after District Judge David Meredith
heard he needed the knife to open tins and cut food while hiking in the
mountains. The judge said: 'It was a good reason. That good reason is not
invalidated because you suddenly enter a certain part of the airport.' Mr
Seaton of Markfield, Leicester, said: 'There have been a number of court
hearings, a pretrial review, an audience with the district judge and then
the trial. 'It has been hanging around for nine months, and I'm not sure
that it has been a good use of public money. 'Now I'm just glad it's over.'
Mr Seaton's solicitor, David Leigh, last night estimated the cost of
bringing the case to trial to be between £5,000 and £10,000. He added 'All
along it has been difficult to see the case to answer here, but the CPS has
continued with this.' Mr Seaton's MP, David Tredinnick, said the case was
an example of the 'law being an ass'. The Tory MP for Bosworth added: 'It
seems strange that a retired chief inspector would be prosecuted when he
clearly intended to go walking and had a valid explanation for carrying the
knife. 'A reasonable person would have assumed he had made a reasonable
mistake and it is regrettable that this case went as far as it did.'

The knife was returned to Mr Seaton immediately after the case.

Leicestershire Police said: 'Officers conducted a thorough investigation
into the ALLEGED offence and the evidence gathered was then put before the
Crown Prosecution Service.'

Leicestershire CPS said the case was brought in line with the Code for Crown
Prosecutors, and that it believed there were grounds to prosecute with a
REALISTIC prospect of conviction.




Story II:

I have had the honor of attending two weddings in the western Scotland. The last one in June of 2008. All the Scots wore their kilts, Very Formal,, 1200 yr old church,, grooms dad had just received the OBE,, 300 guest,, more good whisky than I could drink..

Everything was perfect,,

BUT their Skyn Dhu. It's a small blade worn tucked into their stockings, behind the suspenders. Blade about 3 inches.. They are now selling the handle glued to the sheath with no blade..

Talk about some piss'd off Scots.. Most refuse to ware the fake,, they keep their knives at home.

Story III:

I don't know how many have been to a Burns Night. the Scots celibate Sir Robbie Burns' birthday. The highlight is the entrance of the Haggis and the recital of Robbie's Ode to the Haggis. It ends with the reciter stabbing the haggis with his Dirk. They now use a plastic fork..... Very sad...

[akv]

He wrote: 'The series of high-profile fatal stabbings highlighted a growing knife culture in the UK. Now the general public is unsure of the law on knives.
-David Walker

I wonder if the "growing knife culture" has anything to do with their gun control laws, after knives I suppose rocks could be outlawed too?

[LongWire]

Lord Basen-Powell


I would think that you mean't Lord Baden Powell.


Unfortunate turn of events for those in the UK and elsewhere. Let's hope our legislation never gets this far down in the weeds!!!!!

Recalling certain vehicle inspections on post where I was informed to turn my blades into the Arms Room.......Yeah Right?!!!!!!!!

[Bill Harsey]

Hi Bill,

Everything in Britain comes with zippers. :p

Seriously though. The Brits have created a lot of new knife laws in the past 10 years. No points on kitchen knives is the current "plan".

Locking knives are illegal without "good reason". No folders (must be slip-joints) with blades over 3.0" permitted to be carried.

Belgium and Germany have also followed suit with similar laws. South Africa is fighing knife legistlation, as is Australia. Denmark says no one handers, no locks, Finand and Sweden are likewise facing knife issues.

I guess the future will be safer for everyone. :(

sal

Good morning Sal,
Thanks for the overview. Unbelievable stuff, Finland should understand the edged tool better than most.

JJ_PPK,
also unbelievable.
Front row seats to the "Fall of Rome Part Two" anyone?

[Richard]

And in Denmark...:eek:

Richard's $.02 :munchin

Fishing Knife Father Risks Prison
Politiken.DK, 9 Sep 2009

Lars Lentz Sørensen loves fishing, but the fact that he forgot a folding knfe in his car after a fishing trip is now likely to cost him seven days in prison for breaking the weapons law.

"I've never experienced anything like it. I've always tried to be a law-abiding citizen. It's unreal to stand before a judge charged with breaking the weapons law and I feel that I'm embroiled in a political game between the politicians and courts," says Sørensen.

Concert

Having forgotten to take his folding knife out of his vehicle after a fishing trip, Sørensen was later stopped at a police checkpoint in Southern Jutland after returning to Denmark from a concert in Holland. Officers found the folding knife and charged Sørensen with breaking the weapons law.

Denmark has very strict laws regarding the possession of knives in the public space and a controversial minimum and mandatory sentence of seven days. A lower court, however, fined Sørensen DKK 3,000 but the public prosecutor appealed the ruling, demanding the mandatory seven-day prison sentence.

"I know I made a silly mistake. That was also why I accepted the lower court fine. But if you look at the offence itself, I don't understand why it should have such major consequences," Sørensen says.

http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/article784644.ece

[mojaveman]

I guess the knife laws proliferate somewhat. I've been on vacation in Europe for the past few weeks and have not been able to find any of the beautiful Italian switchblades anywhere. They used to be cheap and plentiful here. One shop owner told me that they were legally not available anymore. I did find some smaller German made ones and bought a few. :D