HOME OFFICE News
Release (194/2007) issued by The Government News Network on 12
December 2007
The Government
intends to ban the import, sale and hire of samurai swords from
April 2008, Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker announced today.
The Government's decision follows a 12-week public
consultation earlier this year, which resulted in a total of 270 responses.
Following replies from police, collectors, traders, victims'
groups and martial arts enthusiasts, the Government is today
publishing the summary of responses and announcing its intention
to add samurai swords to the Offensive Weapons Order. This will
include exemptions for collectors of genuine Japanese swords and
swords used by martial arts enthusiasts.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:
"In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons -
there have been a number of high profile, serious incidents
involving samurai swords in England and Wales in recent years. 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. We will therefore seek exemptions for
these groups when taking this forward next year.
"I and my colleagues in Government take the problem of knife
crime very seriously and we are determined to do all we can to
protect individuals and communities so that more people do not suffer."
The Association of Chief Police Officers lead on knife crime and
Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police Alf
Hitchcock said:
"Whilst not the most common weapon for people to carry and
use, there have been a number of significant incidents involving
Samurai swords and as such the Association of Chief Police
Officers supports the Government in introducing this ban."
Banning the sale, import and hire of samurai swords is the latest
Government action to tackle knife crime which has recently included:
* Increasing the maximum sentence for possessing a knife from two
to four years;
* Bringing in a new offence of using someone to
mind a weapon;
* Giving teachers new powers to search pupils
for weapons in schools;
* Increasing the age at which someone
can buy a knife from 16 to 18;
* Holding a national knife
amnesty which resulted in 90,000 weapons being handed in to
police;
* Investing a total of £1.75 million pounds in
community groups working with young people;
* Launching Best
Practice Guidance on knife crime for police forces together with
the Association of Chief Police Officers;
* Supporting the
work of dedicated, intelligence-led knife crime operations in
police forces around the country, such as Operation Blunt which
tackles knife crime in Greater London and Operation Shield, run by
the British Transport Police using airport-style search arches;
and
* Asking police forces to record knife-related offences
separately for the first time.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. On 5 March 2007, the Home Office
published a consultation paper seeking views on proposals to ban
samurai swords and other weapons which had no legitimate use. The
proposals were aimed at improving public safety by reducing crime
involving these weapons. A total of 270 responses were received
during the 12-week consultation period. The summary of responses
can be found at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-ban-offensive-weapons-0307
2. There have been a number of high profile serious crimes
involving imitation samurai swords in England and Wales in recent
years. Carrying a samurai sword in a public place already carries
a maximum jail sentence of four years.
3. At present there are 17 weapons, including knuckle-dusters and
batons on the Offensive Weapons Order, which was created by the
Criminal Justice Act 1988.
4. Those who breach the new prohibition would face up to six
months in prison and a maximum fine of £5,000.