Offensive weapons act 2019 debacle

[Webley]

Didn't the law follow the general rule of it being better to allow ten guilty men to walk free than one innocent man be wrongly imprisoned? It must be frustrating for police when they raid a known criminals house, find nothing incriminating and see knives, knuckle dusters and batons legally laying around it and they are unable to do anything. But this law seems to assume intent to do harm by mere possession in ones own home. I seriously doubt it will have any impact on criminals or their activities, but a reasonable number of law abiding but unaware people will get caught up by it. That is before you even get to baseless confiscation of the MARS and lever release rifles. The obsession that restriction of inanimate objects will save society from bad people intent on doing bad things is how we will end up in a totalitarian nightmare. Those with malintent will just find another way to achieve their goals.
Matt

[walesdave]

Those with malintent will just find another way to achieve their goals.
Matt

Yes....they'll just buy plain bladed machetes from the local garden center and leave them lying around the 'crib' and when they get raided the police will be in the same boat of not being able to seize a legally held object - remember, if it's not got words or images that glorify violence then it can't harm you!

[bradaz11]

but a reasonable number of law abiding but unaware people will get caught up by it.

you would have to ask why those people are having their homes turned over by police though.

[Blackstuff]

Didn't the law follow the general rule of it being better to allow ten guilty men to walk free than one innocent man be wrongly imprisoned? It must be frustrating for police when they raid a known criminals house, find nothing incriminating and see knives, knuckle dusters and batons legally laying around it and they are unable to do anything. Matt

Any 'weapon' found in a knocked house is always confiscated and unless the person is willing to challenge the police/go to court they won't be getting it back.

but a reasonable number of law abiding but unaware people will get caught up by it.

you would have to ask why those people are having their homes turned over by police though.

There's a dozen reasons why the police might be in your home without the owner/occupier having actually done anything wrong. Lets hope people ignorant of this new restriction don't like to show off their inanimate objects in display cases for their sake.

[Sim G]

Any 'weapon' found in a knocked house is always confiscated and unless the person is willing to challenge the police/go to court they won't be getting it back.

No, not strictly true, Mark. I’ve got a job at the minute where all sorts of weapons were seized during the warrant. Axes behind doors, diving knives, locking folders even a 12” saw back that doesn’t have the words on blade or handle. There’s even a cross bow that has an internal magazine for the bolts, that when the lever on the bottom of the bow is pulled down to draw back the string, a bolt pops up from the mag and us aligned to fire. There’s even some bolts that have been modified to improve their penetration.

All of them lawful. No aggravating circumstances at the time of the warrant, ie being waved about or such like, so after the job, whether it sees court or not, the weapons will be returned to him as they are his property.

[Blackstuff]

Not the norm surely?

[bradaz11]

Not the norm surely?

of course it is, otherwise it's theft. thats the whole point, they needed to make it ilegal to own to remove them. obviously won't affect axes etc, but it's something

[Sim G]

I think Mark is referring to the type and number of weapons recovered. No, it’s not the norm, but in the words of Sir Tom, “It’s not unusual...”

[BooBoo]

I have been on a good number of jobs where various weapons have been found. This includes MH matters where the last thing that you want to do is to be handing back items some time later for various reasons.

However, a desire not to hand back does not supersede a persons right to quiet enjoyment of their own property.

What the OFA will allow for is the seizure from and prosecution of bad persons when items are located in private property. However, to do this the law wraps up possession by the most law abiding with absolutely no criminal intent.

LR = may be taken... So either raise security or combine this with grandfather rights. Don't waste millions upon millions of public money trouncing individuals rights to quiet enjoyment in what is little more than a hate exercise by various FLMs sponsored by the HO as it happens to suit an agenda. You only have to look at the latest consultation re 50 cal and Round 2.

Spiteful is mentioned I think in "Paint it Pink"... But just who is in contempt of whom?

[Geek]

Ignoring the MARS and lever release rifles for a moment, my view on the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 debacle, is that it will not stop criminals possessing and carrying such items. By their very nature of what they are i.e. a criminal, they will ignore the law and do whatever they so choose. Although, the police may say less in circulation makes it safer for them/general public? But then, anything can and I am sure at some point has been used as a weapon in a crime, so what will the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 actually achieve? very little in my opinion. A knife is a knife irrespective of what it is named or has engraved on its blade. What's to stop a criminal just carrying a kitchen knife (nothing).