Would the police count this as an offensive weapon?

[Xordium]

What would happen if you worked for a University or lab and had some lovely E-coli colonies resting in the fridge and accidentally...had some in a syringe and stabbed the attacker with it?!

Then unless it was E.coli 0157 they would most likely be fine. Even if it was unless they were fair haired then they would still most likely be fine. Even if they were fair haired then they would still most likely be fine unless you were getting attacked by a child or an old aged pensioner.

 

[dowie]

Tony Martin only did the same thing as the Captain and crew of HMS Conqueror did in the Falklands War (submarine that sunk the Belgrano). In your world would you like to see our sailors done for murder for that incident?

LOL no he shot a burglar in the back as he was running away...

that has very little to do with sinking an enemy battle ship during an armed conflict

(exclusion zone or direction the ship was facing are irrelevant, the exclusion zone was irrelevant as far as Argentinian vessels were concerned - any Argentinian ships and aircraft were fair targets and this was made clear to the Argies on the 23rd of April 1982)

"After that message of 23 April, the entire South Atlantic was an operational theatre for both sides. We, as professionals, said it was just too bad that we lost the Belgrano"

Argentine Rear Admiral Allara


What next? The 7/7 bombers were only doing what RAF crews do in Iraq?

 

[markweatherill]

chasing the perpetrator should he run away.

You want to chase the perpetrator and what, do some self defence?

 

[Amp34]

You assume that people are perfectly fine if they are arrested, charged and then found not guilty - they aren't. I want to make sure that in the event of a home intruder I don't get arrested while at the same time have the capability to defend myself using reasonable force, which includes chasing the perpetrator should he run away.

Why is chasing the perpetrator seen as using reasonable force?

Do you not think the police should investigate a killing, even if it is done in self defence? Can you provide any links to news articles where someone has been tried (and found not guilty) of the instances you mention - being arrested and released shortly after, or being questioned is not the same thing.

I'm not assuming anything, however your and mine (and the laws) definition of reasonable force is obviously very different. Reasonable force is breaking someone's arm after thy try and punch you, or hitting them on the head with something nearby if they go for you after you wake up in the middle of the night and go and investigate a noise in your house (if you kill them so be it, as long as you stop after they hit the floor).

Running down the road after them with a baton and beating them over the head is not reasonable force, you are not defending either yourself or your property. Nor is continuing to beat them over the head hen they are on the floor, nor is shooting them in the back with a shotgun after they have left your house and are running away.

 

[mushtafa]

I have a 6 cell mag light kept on my consumer box, just so happens it's next to the front door. (I think they banned these). Also keep an aluminium bass ball bat under the bed.

I will try to protect my property and family the best I can.

 

[scorza]

LOL no he shot a burglar in the back as he was running away...

that has very little to do with sinking an enemy battle ship during an armed conflict

(exclusion zone or direction the ship was facing are irrelevant, the exclusion zone was irrelevant as far as Argentinian vessels were concerned - any Argentinian ships and aircraft were fair targets and this was made clear to the Argies on the 23rd of April 1982)


Argentine Rear Admiral Allara


What next? The 7/7 bombers were only doing what RAF crews do in Iraq?

The fact the Belgrano was sailing away from the exclusion zone is as relevant as the fact that the gyppo Tony Martin killed was running away. As the ninnies who regard the Belgrano as a war crime (for the record: I don't). At least the ninnies have a consistent position however unlike you.

For the record I value the life of a single Argentinian sailor higher than I do some scrote out burgling people's houses.

 

[Vulcan]

I want to make sure that in the event of a home intruder I don't get arrested while at the same time have the capability to defend myself using reasonable force, which includes chasing the perpetrator should he run away.

Chasing the perpetrator is not a defensive move, it's an offensive move.

If you punch him to the ground inside your own home that may well be acceptable depending on the threat, you can't however chase them down, then start throwing punches if the perpetrator is defenceless.

Also, if you kill an intruder, you're highly likely to be arrested, it's the only way the police are going to find out what's happened. They are just going to take your word whilst you're standing over the dead body.

 

[Threepwood]

One can chase/use reasonable force to make a citizen's arrest, no?

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Just get a 6D cell Maglite.

(4 is actually quite sufficient! )

The 4 D cell one just happens to be a flashlight that makes a handy baton. The 6 D cell on and the item the OP linked is a baton that has a flashlight at one end.

 

[Amp34]

One can chase/use reasonable force to make a citizen's arrest, no?

I presume so, but again chasing after them with a baton would not be reasonable force. Putting them in an arm lock and sitting on them would, but beating them to a pulp would not.

 

[Burnsy2023]

One can chase/use reasonable force to make a citizen's arrest, no?

Yes, s3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 gives an person the power to use reasonable force, in the circumstances, to affect a lawful arrest.

To answer the OP's question, it's important to remember that possession of an offensive weapon as per s1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 is appliable only to a public place. So if you did carry it in a public place it could be an offence as an off-weap as it is defined as: "any article made or adapted for use to causing injury to the person, or intended by the person having it with him for such use".. So it depends on intent and the circumstances.

As you were specifically talking about dwellings, you can arm yourself in your home with all sorts if necessary, but whatever you grab and use must be amount to reasonable force in the circumstances.

 

[bainbridge]

If confronted with an intruder I'd just instinctively adopt my boxing stance and that should scare him (or her) away.

 

[balky12]

Yes, s3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 gives an person the power to use reasonable force, in the circumstances, to affect a lawful arrest.

Old man and his next door neighbor tied some scrote to a tree after he tried to break into next doors car (it was 2am and -5c outside) and went inside till police arrived. Was quite funny. Apparently he was balling his eyes out.

Police didn't seem to mind either

 

[Orionaut]

The 4 D cell one just happens to be a flash-light that makes a handy baton. The 6 D cell on and the item the OP linked is a baton that has a flash-light at one end.

Indeed it does!

I have only ever had one occasion to use such in such a situation.

And it makes an interesting story really (As regards the "reasonable force" thing)

Some 30 years ago (!) I was making my way back to my Car in Guildford, around 02:00 Hrs, wearing my Barbour and carrying my trusty 4D Maglite in a pocket thereof and a small voice came up behind me requesting whether I had any "Change"!

Now, I don't know about anybody else's opinions on this but I would (And did) consider this to basically mean "You have been Mugged"!)

How I reacted is quite interesting and I remember it in great detail.

My first reaction was to stay still and glance over my left shoulder (Say a 45 degree turn) This gave me an idea of the height and distance of my assailant.

Once I had figured out where he was I grasped the Maglite (by the head end so it wouldn't slip out of my hand) and whipped round turning to look at my assailant straight in the eyes as I aimed to whack him at the top of his jaw just under his left ear.

(This was quite specific, I wanted to severely disable him, not kill him)

This is where it got interesting. The man was clearly totally terrified, he wasn't actually a mugger, he was actually just asking for change. I managed to stay my hand and the torch came to rest touching his cheek.

Unsurprisingly, He turned and ran.

Now, I wouldn't necessarily want to second guess other peoples reactions to high stress situations (I would always give a victims benefit of the doubt in a court case, even in the case of say Tony Martin)

But yes, It is actually possible for people who are in fear of their lives to still make rapid rational judgements. In my case this all took place in little more than a second or two.

And that night I made the decision to not realy hurt somebody who didn't actually deserve it

 

[The Funktopus]

Keep a massive latex Johnson in your door pocket, and explain it away by stating loudly and proudly that you're a dogger.

Use the battle cry 'Wobbly Sausage!' For bonus points, if given cause to defend yourself.

 

[scorza]

Yes, s3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 gives an person the power to use reasonable force, in the circumstances, to affect a lawful arrest.

To answer the OP's question, it's important to remember that possession of an offensive weapon as per s1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 is appliable only to a public place. So if you did carry it in a public place it could be an offence as an off-weap as it is defined as: "any article made or adapted for use to causing injury to the person, or intended by the person having it with him for such use".. So it depends on intent and the circumstances.

As you were specifically talking about dwellings, you can arm yourself in your home with all sorts if necessary, but whatever you grab and use must be amount to reasonable force in the circumstances.

OK cheers Burnsy I won't buy one then seems like my best form of legal self-defence would be to work on my begging skills as in "please don't hurt me Mr Burglar."

 

[Burnsy2023]

OK cheers Burnsy I won't buy one then seems like my best form of legal self-defence would be to work on my begging skills as in "please don't hurt me Mr Burglar."

Or just use some common sense?

 

[Tefal]

The fact the Belgrano was sailing away from the exclusion zone is as relevant as the fact that the gyppo Tony Martin killed was running away. As the ninnies who regard the Belgrano as a war crime (for the record: I don't). At least the ninnies have a consistent position however unlike you.

For the record I value the life of a single Argentinian sailor higher than I do some scrote out burgling people's houses.

Did the submarine use and illegal shotgun?

 

[beamer]

No ...

You've been burgled by ghosts twice?

 

[hawker1986]

Well I had a similar discussion with a police officer friend of mine a few weeks ago down the pub and he figured that if I found someone uninvited in my bedroom at night and they had chosen to walk through my home past all my valuables (read tvs computers etc etc) to get to my bedroom I could safely presume they wanted to hurt myself or my sleeping wife then I would be well within my rights to decapitate them with my katana on the principle that they were obviously not there to thieve but do rape/murder.

Seemed sensible.

Hawker