Knives and the law

Knife crime, particularly amongst young people, is in the news almost every day. At the moment, a number of different rules apply to knives and it isn't always immediately clear what is legal and what isn't.

What's legal and what's not?

it is illegal for any shop to sell a knife of any kind (which includes cutlery and kitchen knives) to anyone under the age of 18
it is generally an offence to carry a knife in public without good reason or lawful authority, for example, a chef carrying their own knives to and from work
the maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5000
knives such as a Swiss Army Knife (where the blade folds into the handle), aren't illegal as long as the blade is shorter than three inches (7.62 cm)

Offensive weapons

If a knife is used in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife), it is regarded as an 'offensive weapon' by the law. This is also the case with everyday objects like screwdrivers - once used in a threatening manner, they are treated as offensive weapons.

It is an offence to carry an offensive weapon in a public place if you don't have a valid reason. This means that carrying something that could be viewed as an offensive weapon, and then using it in a threatening way, could mean that you are prosecuted.

The penalty is up to four years' imprisonment and/or a fine. There is a complete ban on the sale of certain types of knives categorised as offensive weapons, regardless of their use.

These include:

flick knives - where the blade is hidden inside the handle and shoots out when a button is pressed - these are also called switchblades or automatic knives
butterfly knives - where the blade is hidden inside a handle that splits in two around it, like wings or the handles swing around the blade to open or close it
disguised knives - where the blade is hidden inside something, like a belt buckle or fake mobile phone.