Series of attacks prompts ban on imitation samurai swords

Sash · 13-12-2007, 11:59

Imitation samurai swords are to be banned in the UK following a series of high-profile attacks, the government announced yesterday. The curved, single-edged Japanese blades, available for as little as £35 on UK websites, have been involved in about 80 serious crimes in England and Wales in recent years, including at least five deaths.

They will join knuckle-dusters and batons when they are added to the Offensive Weapons Order in April, though martial arts enthusiasts and collectors are expected to be exempt from the ban.

The ban follows public consultation with police, victims' groups, traders, collectors and martial arts enthusiasts. Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said: "In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons. It is therefore crucial that we take this action to tackle the menace of violent crime. We recognise it is the cheap, easily available samurai swords which are being used in crime and not the genuine, more expensive samurai swords which are of interest to collectors and martial arts enthusiasts."

In February, father-of-four Thomas Roe killed passerby Carl Taylor in Lincoln with a samurai sword he kept in a pot by his door. Jailing Roe this month for a minimum of 18 years, the judge condemned his use of the "fearsome weapon".

It was the latest in a series of cases involving samurai swords. The murder of Matt Stiling in 2005 with a single blow to the chest during a petty feud prompted community and local press campaigns against samurai swords.

Before the killer was jailed for 17 years, a senior investigating officer, Det Insp Ken Lamont, described the force of the 18in (45cm) weapon used in the attack outside a Sidmouth club: "He was killed by a single stab wound which went through his body cavity, completely severing a rib, and pierced his heart. These swords are designed for one purpose and one purpose only, which is to kill or inflict serious injury. The way they are held and the size of them and their cutting edges mean they are very dangerous weapons."

Andrew Pennington, an assistant to former Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones, was murdered trying to save the MP when a man attacked both men at a constituency surgery in Cheltenham in 2000. A year earlier, Eden Strang seriously injured 11 people when he went on the rampage with a samurai sword at a Roman Catholic church in Thornton Heath, south London.

Under the new rules, anyone importing, selling or hiring out the swords will face up to six months in prison or a £5,000 fine. Carrying a samurai sword in a public place already carries a maximum jail sentence of four years.

Just wondering how they are gonna police all these bans?

Mankind · 13-12-2007, 15:42

Although only nutters own real swords, it's more bullshit from the nanny state that will not do anything except appear to be a good idea.

I'm gonna buy one before they're banned.

ShiningForce · 13-12-2007, 16:00

I'd just like to know what they mean by martial arts enthousiasts. cause i might get one (apparently we use live blades sometimes afer we hit black belt).

Chronic · 13-12-2007, 19:14

My brother owns three swords, and my mum works in a martial arts supply store and they are available to buy there. They will lose alot of good honest custom because of the ban.

Detomah · 13-12-2007, 20:41

Penknifes over 3" long have been banned for donkey's years, why the fek swords weren't at the same time is beyond me.

Personally I think all sword and spear type weapons should come under the same laws as guns, they are just as deadly.

I also think the laws on crossbows and longbows are stupidly lax, they are just as deadly as a gun in the right hands.

Of course anyone wanting to kill someone will find some tool for the job, you just have to go to the cutlery draw in the kitchen to normally find a knife that could kill, but there is a difference between using a tool as a weapon compared to being able to walk into a shop and buy a ready made weapon over a counter without even having to prove who you are and where you live.

From my personal experience, the few people I've known to have weapons like samurai swords on display in their home, they have generally been a little unhinged and i've felt very uneasy sitting around a room with these people with these weapons in close proximity. You just have to ask Forge about that one... When he stopped with me for a while, we had a right bloody argument about him displaying his, especially when he kept taking them out to look at them. It un-nerved me a lot and I had to tell him to put them well out of sight in the end because I really wasn't feeling safe.

Seth · 13-12-2007, 20:52

I always thought that the cheapo swords you can buy from shops were crappy things meant purely for show, and the actual "real" bladed ones came from elsewhere and cost a bit more than £35...

Might have to check the blade on mine...

Tagred · 15-12-2007, 15:03

I have an original katana and 1 other samurai sword, also imitation sabre. I suppose there shoulc be restrictions on their purchase, but considering only 80 serious crimes in recent years, as opposed to how many with a firearm?

Personally i think weapons like swords generally attract the type of person who has respect for that weapon. I never display my katana, indeed keep it on its box, besides the cutting edge is square and unfinished, though the point would do some damage.