Ban on samurai swords
Wednesday, 12 Dec 2007 10:54
Samurai swords to be banned in UK, government confirms
The import, sale and hire of samurai swords are to be banned in Britain, the government has announced.
The ban, due to come into force in April next year, follows a 12-week public consultation.
Samurai swords, which police say have been involved in a "significant" number of incidents in recent years, are also due to be added to the Offensive Weapons Order.
"In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons - there have been a number of high profile, serious incidents involving samurai swords in England and Wales in recent years," said Home Office minister Vernon Coaker.
"It is therefore crucial that we take this action to tackle the menace of violent crime."
Collectors of genuine Japanese swords and martial enthusiasts will be given certain exemptions from the ban, Mr Coaker explained.
"We recognise it is the cheap, easily available samurai swords which are being used in crime and not the genuine, more expensive samurai swords which are of interest to collectors and martial arts enthusiasts.
"We will therefore seek exemptions for these groups when taking this forward next year."
Anyone found to have breached the ban could face a £5,000 fine and six months in jail.
Earlier this month a father-of-four was jailed for 18 years after being convicted of murdering a 24-year-old man with a samurai sword.
And six years ago former Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones was attacked and his aide killed in a separate samurai sword attack.