Disaster US tourist arrested in seaside town ‘because he didn’t understand UK laws’ - Holidaymaker, reportedly from an open-carry US state, had UK weapons laws explained to him by officers

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Police arrested an American tourist who admitted to openly carrying a knife on a British beachfront.

The man had reportedly been as he sunbathing in Herne Bay on Thursday when locals reported to Kent Police that he was carrying a knife.

The American reportedly told officers he came from an open-carry state in the US, claiming he had the blade for protection and was unaware he could not carry it in public in the UK.

After being arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife, he was handed a community resolution where British law around knife crime was “fully explained to him”, police said.

“It was quite strange,” a resident told KentOnline. “I was just walking the dog along the seafront and saw a man relaxing on the grass verge listening to UB40 on his phone.

“I carried on walking and when I turned around, I noticed a police car at the bottom of Swalecliffe Avenue and two police officers talking to him.

“But then another two officers arrived.”

It is believed the tourist had picked up the steak knife from the kitchen of his rental property close to the coastline on Thursday April 3.

A police spokesman told The Independent: “Kent Police was called to a report that a man had been seen with a knife in the Hampton area of Herne Bay at 10.30am on Thursday.

“Officers attended and a man, who is a US citizen and was on holiday in the area, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife.

“In interview, the man made a full admission to possessing the knife in public and explained he had not understood UK law around possession of knives.

“The knife was seized and, following consideration of the circumstances, the matter was dealt with by a community resolution, during which the law was fully explained to him.”

The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is either four years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. British law states offenders will get a prison sentence if they are convicted of carrying a knife or weapon illegally more than once.

The only exceptions are folding pocketknives that have a cutting edge no longer than 3 inches and are not lock knives.

Good reasons for carrying a knife or weapon in public include if its for work, for religious reasons, such as the kirpan some Sikhs carry, and as part of any national costume.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/herne-bay-tourist-knife-kent-b2730231.html (Archive)
 
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chiobu said:
The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is either four years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. British law states offenders will get a prison sentence if they are convicted of carrying a knife or weapon illegally more than once.
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What a fucking Hellhole, Jesus Christ almighty.
 
chiobu said:
Good reasons for carrying a knife or weapon in public include if its for work, for religious reasons, such as the kirpan some Sikhs carry, and as part of any national costume.
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Sounds like we need to form a new religion or get a standard ‘American tourist’ costume trending that includes the right to self-defense.
 
You have to be an idiot to be carrying a weapon when you don't know the law of the country you're in. It's a basic, common sense thing, not like some weird law that you should not suspect it existed.

On another note, I find retarded that an exception is made for Sikhs; seems like length and area where you use it may determine its legality, or if it can be justified for "religious reasons". Talking about that would probably need a more in depth conversation, not really for this thread.
 
It's a bit weird to walk around town with a steak knife, though. It's not a hunting or multifunctional knife with a sheath, just a steak knife he took from the kitchen. Did he stuff it in his waistband or what?
 
Can't wait for a Luty-type situation where a guy is arrested for possessing a bench grinder, high-carbon steel and a roll of grip tape .
 
Sunbathing on a British beach in early April? Made of stern stuff then
 
Obligatory LOICENSE posting aside this guy is a retard, I doubt he 'open carries' steak knives in the US. Even in the US if you are walking around with a steak knife in your belt people will look at you funny and probably avoid you when walking by, this feels like he was baiting them. He's lucky they just gave him a talking to, had he been a British citizen he would have probably gotten 5 years in jail.
 
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