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Man carrying home his gardening tools arrested by armed police in Manchester
(www.theguardian.com)
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this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2025
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But you can be surprised when the police don't let you go after realising the thing is mostly blunt. What looks like a knife edge on the right hand side of that picture isn't sharpened like a knife, it's more like how a spade has a keened edge, because it's a fancy type of trowel. The saw edge is sharp though, but again, not as sharp as a wood saw.
Plus, the law allows for the carrying of a knife for a reasonable legitimate purpose. The accused was carrying a basket of vegetables, having just harvested them using the "knife". It's a legitimate purpose, and it wasn't even a knife.
Add on that it was also sheathed, and we have a clear case of moron cops being heavy handed and abusing the law.
He should have waited for a solicitor in all honesty. He ended up being coerced into accepting the charges by the sound of things. Basically an autistic person being taken advantage of.
I can understand the armed response. I have heard similar stories and a lot of the time people have a good laugh about it after, if they aren't too traumatised.
My opinion, not from the UK so it’s worth little, is that this is all that should be needed.
“What’s that? What’s it for?” … “Ok, we got a call from a concerned citizen who thought it was a knife. Have a good day!”
Maybe they could throw in a polite, friendly suggestion that they use a bag to transport their tools but its not like it’s required, if I’m understanding correctly.
Yeah, it's for cutting plants and roots.