Knives - in trouble with the police!

[IfInDoubt]

................ Edgematters.uk, you have to be a subscribing member to view them (it's £5 a year so you could get decent advice for the price of a pint).

£5 quid for a pint is the only crime mentioned in this thread.....i feel like i've been mugged everytime a get a round in

[Yorkshire Andy]

I got a tug yesterday afternoon id been down the allotment then up to my dad's to sort a problem with my trailer ... Took dad back to mine chucked the chicken in the oven and wandered into town to the pub .. walking down the road police car passed slow thought nothing of it next thing it pulled a u turn and passenger window down alongside stand still sir keep your hands were we can see them ... Driver gets out .... You appear to have a knife on your belt.... Where are you going?

Any Pub pointing at it

[[Fortunately in my haste to get to the pub I'd dumped the car key and pulled the multi tool out of the belt pouch .. and left them on the windowsill at home . Didn't bother unthreading the pouch .]]

If that's got a locking blade your in trouble ... Hand goes to the pouch.... It's empty where is the knife? It's at home on the Window sill I've come off the allotment met up with my dad and escaped for a beer my boots still muddy knees still brown I took it out as I know it's an offence to carry it without a good reason I've been opening sacks of chicken feed and repairing a old hutch for some pullets ....


What's in your pockets..

Pulled out wallet phone and house keys .....


Oh.. just be aware for future reference it's an offence to carry a blade in a public place...... Got in the car and off they went didn't notice the little tiny spiderco on the house keys

[pseudonym]

Oh.. just be aware for future reference it's an offence to carry a blade in a public place...... Got in the car and off they went

And that is either:

1. The Police Officer misleading you on the Law.

2. The Police Officer Misunderstanding the Law.

3. The Police Officer not knowing the Law.

Notice "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" only applies to civilians not those payed to uphold it.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Oh.. just be aware for future reference it's an offence to carry a blade in a public place...... Got in the car and off they went

And that is either:

1. The Police Officer misleading you on the Law.

2. The Police Officer Misunderstanding the Law.

3. The Police Officer not knowing the Law.

Notice "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" only applies to civilians not those payed to uphold it.

Probably all three sub three inch cutting edge with no mechanical lock .. I couldn't be bothered to argue I had better things to do especially as he found no knife

Has that issue over use of an air rifle years ago I had the book on laws (well pamphlet) in the gun slip...

Probably got a big red X on my back now I'll just start carrying the lanksy world legal

I see a knife as a tool and it I was going to walk the streets with one for illegal reasons it wouldn't be a £100+ multi tool

[jansman]

Oh.. just be aware for future reference it's an offence to carry a blade in a public place...... Got in the car and off they went

And that is either:

1. The Police Officer misleading you on the Law.

2. The Police Officer Misunderstanding the Law.

3. The Police Officer not knowing the Law.

Notice "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" only applies to civilians not those payed to uphold it.

Your last sentence is so true P.

[Evergog]

Interesting thread, a police officer friend once advised me to never informally discuss any matter with the police - always lawyer up and say nothing til you do. Also advised when approached on the street politely decline to answer any questions but direct ones - ie yes or no. May seem suspicious but stops them picking at threads

[Arzosah]

I had to do quite a bit of research recently on talking to the police via voluntary interviews. This is what the government says:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... -12-04.pdf

Solicitors in general are unusually definite about these: don't refuse to go, they'll arrest you if you don't (I think that might be verbal only), but still, their websites are very direct. This one, for instance, says that the claim that voluntary interviews are "just a chat" are "untrue and misleading":
https://walkerlawltd.com/services/voluntary-interviews/

There are other issues that can be clarified: whether to say "no comment", and the reasons why police are increasingly using this type of interview (boils down to, it's cheaper).

It's absolutely true that the solicitor will not charge you: they get reimbursed from a fund (I forget the name) but there are regional limits, so be a bit careful of that. The one I spoke to explained very well about what they can and can't do.

[ukpreppergrrl]

There are other issues that can be clarified: whether to say "no comment", and the reasons why police are increasingly using this type of interview (boils down to, it's cheaper).

Whilst it is cheaper to call someone for a voluntary interview as opposed to arresting them and detaining them in custody, the actual and legal reason for a voluntary interview as opposed to arresting and detaining you is because there is not sufficient necessity to detain you. Look up the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (aka PACE) the Code G section. If the grounds in Code G are not met then the police cannot legally detain you. If you are arrested and taken to a custody suite, the arresting officer will have to state the Code G grounds for your detention otherwise the custody Sargent will not authorise detention. Whilst an interview is one of the Code G necessities it is not sufficient on its own. i.e. they cannot arrest and detain you simply to interview you. The usual reasons for arrest and detention are because there is concern you may go on to commit other offences (e.g. you're drunk and have been brawling and its highly likely if they left you where you are you'd pick another fight with someone else, or the same person, or damage property); or because you won't give your name and/or address (i.e. they can't invite you to a voluntary interview at a future date if they don't know who you are or have a way of getting in touch with you - unfortunately this means homeless people are almost always detained); or because they believe you may abscond (e.g. you're a foreign national on holiday in the UK who could quite easily get on a plane home the next day never to be seen again); or because the offence you are believed to have committed involves a child or other vulnerable person. There are other reasons in Code G but these are the most commonly used. Whilst PACE itself dates from 1984, Code G dates from 2012, hence it may appear that police are "increasingly using this type of interview".

[korolev]

I would *always* advise people to decline to answer any questions without taking legal advice. When they say "You have the right to remain silent.." USE IT. Tell them you are not willing to be interviewed without a solicitor present.
Also, NEVER accept a caution without taking legal advice, there have been cases of people accepting them when they needn't have and it coming back to bite them in the bum; a caution will show up on a DBS check.
There was a case a few years back whereby a retired army officer went through a knife arch at a station, it went off and the police searched him, discovering a Swiss Army Knife, perfectly legal to own/carry on public transport. Rather than (politely) tell them to sod off, he agreed to accept a caution as he was assured it would be "the end of the matter" by a policeman who was chancing his arm.

[Arzosah]

Look up the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (aka PACE) the Code G section. If the grounds in Code G are not met then the police cannot legally detain you.

This is extremely anecdotal, and my personal stance only, but I wouldn't trust the police to give me more than the time of day. And I have two friends who *were* police officers, including one in the Met itself. I have knowledge of two cases for sure where the police were prepared to stitch someone up, because they didn't like the crime alleged, one in London and one in Merseyside. Innocence was proven in a court of law, no thanks to the police. I can't share details because they're not my cases to share and may also identify me.

But there's been the case of the people at the Sarah Everard vigil that the police continued to pursue https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... over-vigil

and the children strip searched without an appropriate adult present https://www.itv.com/news/2022-08-07/hun ... et-figures