Zombie knives and machetes are nonetheless obtainable to buy on-line within the UK regardless of a UK ban that got here into power in September banning their possession or sale.
The broadcaster bought two 18-inch machetes from one for £19.99 every. Its investigation discovered that weapons – together with a 10-inch Defender Xtreme Searching Fight Knife and a 20-inch Fantasy Grasp Cranium Crusher – might be simply be bought from US and wholesale web sites, at £34.99 and £60 respectively,
Nonetheless, a ban outlawing these harmful machetes and knives within the UK got here into power from September 24.
Rishi Sunak first proposed these legal guidelines final 12 months, they usually have been introduced in by Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour authorities after the election. These legal guidelines make it illegal to personal, distribute, produce or transport the weapons.
Earlier than the formal give up and compensation plan being launched in the summertime, the federal government invited anybody in possession of one in every of these weapons to voluntarily place it in a knife give up bin. It allowed these with one in every of these blades to show it in with out concern of authorized repercussions, getting the weapons off the streets as shortly as doable. Now, anybody present in possession of one in every of these knives may be despatched to jail.
The federal government cooperated with legislation enforcement, native communities and different companions to ensure that the general public was conscious of the give up programme, which has been used at the side of knife bans prior to now.
This is only one component of a bigger set of steps the federal government is taking to make the already-toughest knife crime legal guidelines on the planet even stronger. Any weapon carried in public with out a legitimate cause is prohibited by legislation and is punishable by as much as 4 years in jail. In 2016, the federal government outlawed zombie knives, and in 2019 cyclone knives have been outlawed.
Beneath the legislation, a most two-year jail sentence might be handed right down to anybody present in possession of them. These manufacturing and promoting zombie knives might additionally face jail. However, the progress on passing the laws has been gradual and a number of other circumstances involving zombie knives have occurred since.
Simply days earlier than the brand new legislation took impact, a 15-year-old named Daejaun Campbell died after being stabbed within the thigh with one of many weapons in Woolwich. Campbell’s reported final phrases have been “I’m 15, don’t let me die”. Three folks have been later charged together with his homicide.
In September 2023, 15-year-old Elianne Andam was stabbed on her way to school with what was believed to be a foot-long, serrated zombie blade. Tributes poured in for the south London pupil and aspiring lawyer who was reportedly knifed within the neck. A 17-year-old boy has been charged and can face trial within the spring. He can’t be named for authorized causes.
In October, a 23-year-old man was arrested for carrying 18 knives, together with massive machetes and zombie knives, throughout a police cease and search exterior Edmonton Inexperienced station.
Knife crimes elevated by 9 per cent in 2022 and round 45,000 offences have been recorded. Final 12 months, there have been simply over 19,000 cautions and convictions made for possession of a knife or offensive weapon, with 18 per cent of the circumstances involving juveniles.
The latest mindless deaths spotlight the hurt attributable to knives on the streets of the capital.
However what precisely is a zombie knife?
A zombie blade taken from a Hackney property by police
Waltham Forest Police/PC Ware
A zombie knife is a bladed weapon that has been more and more linked to violent crimes and gang use. Impressed by zombie movies, they usually have one clean blade and one serrated edge. They arrive in a wide range of shapes and sizes and have a tendency to function graphics or textual content (whether or not on the blade or deal with) that recommend they should be used for violence.
Previous guidelines on zombie blades
The Authorities stated in 2016 that work was underway to create legal guidelines to outlaw zombie knives when Theresa Might was the house secretary. Later the identical 12 months, it made an announcement prohibiting the sale, manufacturing and importing of zombie knives in England and Wales.
Though legal guidelines have prohibited sure zombie knives since 2016, there have been loopholes in regulation that allowed gross sales to proceed. Some retailers dodged the restrictions by eradicating threatening phrases from the weapon.
This implied that, even when they suppose the weapons have been used to commit against the law, police couldn’t seize them in the event that they have been found in somebody’s residence.
What do the foundations launched in September imply?
A brand new definition was outlined in August that defines a zombie-style knife as “any bladed weapon over eight inches in size with a plain innovative and sharp pointed finish that additionally has both a serrated innovative, multiple gap within the blade, or a number of sharp factors like spikes”.
In line with the Residence Workplace, police have the authority to grab some gadgets with blades, even when they don’t seem to be unlawful. This goals to cease the loophole that enables some retailers to proceed promoting zombie blades.
The utmost sentence for importing, producing or offering unlawful offensive weapons or promoting bladed gadgets to these beneath the age of 18 was prolonged, from six months to 2 years in jail.
