Has anyone been on probation before?

My point is it is pot luck what kind of a police officer you end up ever having to deal with.

I wouldn't take any risk of even carrying a folding knife under 3 inch.

It also depends on your skin colour a lot too. If you're non white and not a Sikh and get caught with a legal knife? Good luck avoiding arrest.
 
Le Clandestin Brun said:
To expand, and to also answer Dowie - I had my car searched and was found with a collection of souvenir knives in my car, which I had placed there to avoid my young children finding in my drawers now that they have started walking, and was going to drop them at my parents home when I next visited. Unfortunately it appears that was a criminal offence and was charged with each item.
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Damn, that's a bit unlucky. Were they obviously souvenir knives, like clearly some antiques from different places or different ornate designs etc... I wonder if having them in a display case would have changed anything there?

Like, on one hand, I'm quite keen on people carrying knives getting punished, on the other hand there are obvious exceptions like when you have a reason to be carrying a knife - a tradesman using one for work etc...

Did you talk to the police before you had a solicitor present out of interest? Like at the point where they searched your car? I mean the obvious defence here I presume would be if you actually were transporting them to your parent's house, but if you've told them you're storing them in your car and just driving around with them then that might not be so good. This is where not talking to the police becomes useful, lots of people essentially end up self-incriminating when in a situation where keeping quiet and waiting for a solicitor could make a big difference even if you think you're just being helpful or haven't done anything wrong at the time.

tom_e said:
All recruits have needed a degree for the last few years at least.
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That seems like a pointless requirement tbh... it's quite regressive even, especially if they're also looking for diverse candidates etc...

I get that some private sector employers will ask for a "degree" as a crude filter but generally it's pretty pointless. If an employer wants some specific skills then sure, that's where it's useful, but a general requirement for a degree from any subject is just silly.
 
From what you've posted, you appear to have a bad attitude against the system that is in place to rehabilitate you and protect the rest of society. An hour at a time doesn't seem like much to deal with.

Why do I feel you'll end up reoffending?
 
Le Clandestin Brun said:
Thank you. That's interesting, perhaps they are going through new paperwork with me like a checklist? I'm being asked extremely personal things such as my care for my children, my relationship with my wife, my work, my friends, my finances/assets, my day to day activities etc. All completely unrelated to my conviction and something I do not wish to discuss with a stranger.
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Well no. They think your a massive risk to others...one step away from going on a stabbing spree. It would be perfectly reasonable for them to ask you about your relationship with people across your life.

Can't really blame them given you had a collection of knifes in your car. I suspect your being actively monitored without you knowing too.
 
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gitbags said:
Here you go, direct from leatherman themselves. https://www.leatherman.co.uk/pages/using-carrying-knives

But the short of it; unless you are using it, or transporting it, then it should not be in your car.
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I carried a Leatherman in my work backpack for years as I’d often deal with loose connectors, damaged cables or unsealing equipment shipments away from the office. When the law changed to ban locking knives, I left the Leatherman at home and packed a U.K. legal Spyerco and a small combination multi-tool that didn’t have a locking blade.

I worked on the assumption that said knife not being accessible without my dropping my backpack and opening it up along with it being covered in packing tape debris would aided my defence if stopped and searched.
 
Le Clandestin Brun said:
It is mad, isn't? The way the mentally ill and addicts were failed by the justice system. Fortunately nowadays I think they have a better understanding and more compassion to attempt some help/psychotherapy/rehab, so steps are being made in the right direction.
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It is nowadays. It happened a year ago.
 
there must be loads of stuff you can carry legally that's more dangerous than a knife.

why these teens not all walking around with walking sticks? you could beat the hell out of some noob with a knife

I bet there's big umbrellas for men with a nice pointy end too so it's basically a legal spear
 
Terminal_Boy said:
I carried a Leatherman in my work backpack for years as I’d often deal with loose connectors, damaged cables or unsealing equipment shipments away from the office. When the law changed to ban locking knives, I left the Leatherman at home and packed a U.K. legal Spyerco and a small combination multi-tool that didn’t have a locking blade.

I worked on the assumption that said knife not being accessible without my dropping my backpack and opening it up along with it being covered in packing tape debris would aided my defence if stopped and searched.
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I carry a victorinox Swiss tool pretty much daily for work, never been worried about it as I need the tool to do my job efficiently. But I did make sure I was aware of the law before buying one.

Although as I'm going to have to walk through the middle of the g7 roadblocks in a couple of weeks, I may leave it at work for a few days just to save any possible hassle.
 
arknor said:
there must be loads of stuff you can carry legally that's more dangerous than a knife.

why these teens not all walking around with walking sticks? you could beat the hell out of some noob with a knife

I bet there's big umbrellas for men with a nice pointy end too so it's basically a legal spear
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I personally want to get one of those fashionably "sword canes" ;)
Or a walking stick with a nice hefty head...

I think the real issue is that you tend to need some skill/training to actually make use of things like staffs as a weapon, it's hard to conceal them, and they're not exactly threatening compared to a bowie knife in the face.

One of the things I tend to like about UK law in regarding what is/isn't allowed in public is that if you've got a reasonable use for something, as long as it's not purely a weapon you can usually have it vs say the American way where they outright ban things like "lock picks" or only allow them if you're a licenced lock smith depending on city/state.
I, and a few others had a long running argument discussion on another board with a couple of Americans who couldn't understand that there might be reasons to limit access to guns, but at the same time they couldn't understand why anyone who wasn't a major criminal would ever have a set of lock picks, one of the German members pointed out his town held some sort of annual competition for hobbyist lock pickers and it was a hobby with people his age*, whilst I and few other brits were pointing out that the "going equipped" thing our police tend to use was far more flexible and useful given you couldn't really ban everything that could be used in a crime (or very specific bans that need constant updating whenever a new item comes out), but you could make it so that it was hard to get away with carrying something very out of place but useful in a crime (especially if the person carrying them was a known criminal or was near where a crime had just been committed).


*I think he was mid 40's back in ~2000, I can actually see the attraction if for example you've got a certain type of technical mind as it's a challenge that requires both dexterity and learning how the insides of different locks work, whilst also being something that could be done cheaply yet be useful on occasion and like many men's hobbies give you an excuse get away from the wife and have some quiet time with your drinking buddies, but not at the pub as you get complaints about spending all your time down the boozer:p
 
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RoboCod said:
From what you've posted, you appear to have a bad attitude against the system that is in place to rehabilitate you and protect the rest of society. An hour at a time doesn't seem like much to deal with.

Why do I feel you'll end up reoffending?
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I think that's the thing isn't it? We've seen no evidence the OP even acknowledges they did wrong and that probation (and their investigation of him) are part of the consequences of that wrongdoing. The impression the OP seems to be giving off is one of attempting to circumvent the consequences of his actions, whether that's to mitigate the level of inconvenience/discomfort he experiences as a result of his misbehaviour or in an attempt to hide other misdeeds and/or any intention of committing future misdeeds is best known only to himself. Doesn't fill me with confidence that he will come out of this experienced a reformed character though.
 
dowie said:
That seems like a pointless requirement tbh... it's quite regressive even, especially if they're also looking for diverse candidates etc...

I get that some private sector employers will ask for a "degree" as a crude filter but generally it's pretty pointless. If an employer wants some specific skills then sure, that's where it's useful, but a general requirement for a degree from any subject is just silly.
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I forgot about this, simply requiring any degree is a useless metric for any job.

I'm sure people with degrees in Gender Studies or Beyoncé Studies are going to make fully and much more capable police people.
 
phonemonkey said:
We've seen no evidence the OP even acknowledges they did wrong
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Regarding the knives, I see no issue with what I did except for bringing them into the UK during my teens when I was unaware of their legality - the drugs on the other hand... :cry:

dowie said:
Damn, that's a bit unlucky. Were they obviously souvenir knives, like clearly some antiques from different places or different ornate designs etc... I wonder if having them in a display case would have changed anything there?

Like, on one hand, I'm quite keen on people carrying knives getting punished, on the other hand there are obvious exceptions like when you have a reason to be carrying a knife - a tradesman using one for work etc...

Did you talk to the police before you had a solicitor present out of interest? Like at the point where they searched your car? I mean the obvious defence here I presume would be if you actually were transporting them to your parent's house, but if you've told them you're storing them in your car and just driving around with them then that might not be so good. This is where not talking to the police becomes useful, lots of people essentially end up self-incriminating when in a situation where keeping quiet and waiting for a solicitor could make a big difference even if you think you're just being helpful or haven't done anything wrong at the time.
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Yeh they were blatantly souvenirs, one literally had 'Alaska' on the side and another was shaped like a shotgun with a torch on top, however I freely admit they were not UK legal but they had been stored away for the past 20 odd years so didn't think much of it other than removing them from my house so my kids couldn't find them.

Regarding any words with the police, I told them straight away that the knives were there and told them why at the point of search, back in the station and at court. Unfortunately knives are a hot topic with the system at the moment, understandably, so they had to do what they had to do.
 
Why did you get pulled and why did they search your car, OP? Asking for a friend.
 
Le Clandestin Brun said:
Regarding the knives, I see no issue with what I did except for bringing them into the UK during my teens when I was unaware of their legality - the drugs on the other hand... :cry:


Yeh they were blatantly souvenirs, one literally had 'Alaska' on the side and another was shaped like a shotgun with a torch on top, however I freely admit they were not UK legal but they had been stored away for the past 20 odd years so didn't think much of it other than removing them from my house so my kids couldn't find them.

Regarding any words with the police, I told them straight away that the knives were there and told them why at the point of search, back in the station and at court. Unfortunately knives are a hot topic with the system at the moment, understandably, so they had to do what they had to do.
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You had a bunch of knives (and drugs it seems) in your car. Whether they're "souvenirs" or not, they're weapons. It's clear you had no intention of ill doing but you've committed an offence. You could hold your hands up, act like an adult and accept the responsibilities of your foolish actions and then face the consequences. Instead you appear to be excusing your actions and then even complaining about the repercussions being brought upon you, as if you should receive special treatment. Sorry if that's way off the mark, I'm just going off everything you posted.
 
Le Clandestin Brun said:
Thank you. That's interesting, perhaps they are going through new paperwork with me like a checklist? I'm being asked extremely personal things such as my care for my children, my relationship with my wife, my work, my friends, my finances/assets, my day to day activities etc. All completely unrelated to my conviction and something I do not wish to discuss with a stranger.
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Realistically they don't care about your privacy, and they spend a considerable amount of their time dealing with real floaters who lie to them all the time. You may not like it, but it's their job to ask, and for good reason. Your best bet is to be as friendly and co-operative as possible and hope they decide that you're a decent sort after all. No point raging at the system, you won't win.

Werewolf said:
I personally want to get one of those fashionably "sword canes" ;)
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Just keep checking TK Maxx.
 
Mr Jack said:
Realistically they don't care about your privacy, and they spend a considerable amount of their time dealing with real floaters who lie to them all the time. You may not like it, but it's their job to ask, and for good reason. Your best bet is to be as friendly and co-operative as possible and hope they decide that you're a decent sort after all. No point raging at the system, you won't win.



Just keep checking TK Maxx.
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Why is it TJ Max in the US but TK Maxx here, I ask you that.
 
Einskis Nokkur said:
I have two leatherman tools which were legal to carry when I first got them. This thread has made me check and I now know that it would be illegal for me to just put them on my belt as I used to. For some reason I thought that because the blades were shorter than 3" that they were OK.
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It's fine to carry a locking or fixed blade provided you have good cause to i.e. for work. You just can't carry one "just in case".

From the gov.uk guidance:
Lock knives
Lock knives are not classed as folding knives and are illegal to carry in public without good reason. Lock knives:

have blades that can be locked and refolded only by pressing a button
can include multi-tool knives - tools that also contain other devices such as a screwdriver or can opener
 
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