Nuneaton resident Anthony Bray, 48, was arrested by Warwickshire Police on June 8, 2024, for possessing a “sharp object” in public that was sharp enough to be used for violence or intimidation – something Bray admitted during his confrontation with police. He also noted that the 6-inch replica “blade of evil” from The Legend of Zelda was a vertigo toy, but officers explained that the properties of the toy blade, and more critically, its behavior, still violated the law.
Warwickshire Police issued a press release on July 2 reporting the incident and including a statement from Sergeant Fern Spellman of the Patrol Investigations Unit:
“We have no tolerance for harsh articles in public, and Bray fell for this. It is possible to find fidget toys that are not six inch blades. It is possible not to walk down the street holding them in front of you. With a little more self-awareness, Bray could have avoided contact with us entirely.”
The UK prohibits the carrying of knives or weapons in public without a “good reason”, i.e. for work or cultural reasons, but enforcement varies depending on the type of knife and the length of its blade. The 4th of July is election day in the UK, and its two main political parties, Labor and the Conservatives, have made reducing crime high on their agendas.
Bray, Forbes reports, has a criminal history and has previously served time for burglaries.
According to the police report, Bray will pay a victim surcharge of £154, or about $196, in addition to serving four months in jail.
