Update- Carrying of knives

[w00dsmoke]

Listen bud, you've not been charged as yet, so why not write to the chief constable explaining your circumstances and requesting a return of your tools. A little bit humility in the letter regardless of how it hurts to do so would go a long long way if you know what I mean... the cops as far as I can tell have no reason to hold on to them. There's no evidence to substantiate any claim of poaching and you have not been charged (yet) with carrying an offensive weapon or two, you would have thought they would have done it by now. So what are the police doing?

I'm sure as xxxl I would if it happened to me.

 

[FerlasDave]

you should be careful too as they might have even destroyed your tools. i would find out whats happening and aslo maybe talk to your solicitor and some legal advice just incase.

this makes no sense to me as in scotland officers cannot arrest people under suspicion. or atleast thats what they told me?

 

[Tadpole]

you should be careful too as they might have even destroyed your tools. i would find out whats happening and aslo maybe talk to your solicitor and some legal advice just incase.

this makes no sense to me as in scotland officers cannot arrest people under suspicion. or atleast thats what they told me?

In scotland "the police can stop and search you without having a search warrant if they suspect you of being in possession of:-
drugs; and/or
an offensive weapon; and/or
stolen property; and/or
alcohol if you are at certain major football or rugby matches or on public transport travelling to such an event; and/or
evidence in relation to an offence under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002; and/or
cash or the cash equivalent of £1,000 or more and that this is the result of criminal activity
fireworks that you intend to use anti-socially."

 

[Hobbit on a String]

Hi W00dsmoke,

as i have said before the cops up here dont like me, bu that is a small problem i have to put up with.

As for getting my tools back i can forget that, any weapon taken up here is placed intot the hands of the P.F (a bit like the CPS)

As for charges they have a year and a day to bring any if they are going to!

Me and the wife have already spoken to our area Inspector, but all we got from him was a load of tosh,

So i am screwed,
Now back to saving up for a new knife and a new GFB, Going to get one of the knifes of this website only costing £8.95, it is not going to bust the bank, but the GFB i am having to save up for, ah well that is how the kaka happens.

And as to the last poster before me, The cops can stop and arrest you if they believe you have upon your person items which could be used in the committal of a crime so yeas they can arrest you under suspicion,

The un happy hobbit

 

[Opal]

I think this caretaker is a little s**t, why couldn't she have approached you and informed you she didn't want you on her property? any decent human being would do that eh?

 

[BigShot]

Opal - probably because the access legislation in Scotland meant he had every right to be on her property.
When the law doesn't go in someone's favour when they object they sometimes turn to lies to get their way.

 

[sirex]

... wouldnt this mean though that without any evidence that you were in fact a poacher you'll be ok ? - no firearms, no snare wires, etc etc.

 

[Wilderbeast]

Hi W00dsmoke,

as i have said before the cops up here dont like me, bu that is a small problem i have to put up with.

As for getting my tools back i can forget that, any weapon taken up here is placed intot the hands of the P.F (a bit like the CPS)

As for charges they have a year and a day to bring any if they are going to!

Me and the wife have already spoken to our area Inspector, but all we got from him was a load of tosh,

So i am screwed,
Now back to saving up for a new knife and a new GFB, Going to get one of the knifes of this website only costing £8.95, it is not going to bust the bank, but the GFB i am having to save up for, ah well that is how the kaka happens.

And as to the last poster before me, The cops can stop and arrest you if they believe you have upon your person items which could be used in the committal of a crime so yeas they can arrest you under suspicion,

The un happy hobbit

I really feel for you mate i'd be furious in your position but I guess that doesn't help, really jacks me off how they can't cath the guys actually using knives and axe's as weapons, they pick us because we are easy targets and it looks like they've done something other than sit on their A*** eating doughnuts all day !

If you do go to court good luck, and remember to try not to lose your cool with the bobbies, if you get angry it only gives the prosecution more ammo!

 

[Hobbit on a String]

Hi Guys,
Cos of the Open Access Laws in Scotland, Land owners who know they are in the wrong use the old loophole of getting you knicked by the cops, By Assiciation, didnt matter that i didnt have Snares or nets on me, all that mattered was that i had a Hunting Knife, Forest Axe, and some fishing Line in my emergency pack, Also that i was dressed in DPM,
As i informed the bobbies, i wear DPM Surplus for many reasons, one mainly being it is built for the job, and dirt cheap to replace,

As i have said in several posts, i live rough for most of the year, and only come back to my home area to make sure my aprtner is OK, and collect mail, and get new supplies etc.
Well this time i am going to be home longer than my normal 3-4 wks.

It wont go to court, because then they are going to have to stop every single person who carries a knife on thier waist belt,
My only problem is the fact i am an ex con, but under the law the only things i am not allowed to carry are firearms.

KAKA happens i just have to be carefull where i camp in future, but i am going back to dalgatie woods, and i am going to inform the police of the fact, and i am going to have regular photos taken of me in a woodland camp, and if it ever goes to court, well they are my proof,
Also i have proof from from the SUrrey constabulary,

But if anyone in my area knows of a place where i can get a decent GFB let me know, as i miss my forest axe

The Hobbit

 

[w00dsmoke]

Hobbit,

I may be wrong on this but I suspect they have a year and a day for your case to be in court from the day you are "charged". And as you have not been "charged" then you have every right to ask for your gear back. The police may have confiscated your gear as you were under suspicion of poaching and I suspect to wind you up a bit if your relationship is not great with them, and because they can. I know a few cops and by just listening to them chatting you know it's once you have a rep that's it, it stays with you regardless of how "reformed" you are. You just need to be extra cautious in future.

I reckon you have got every chance of getting your gear back and no charges will be forthcoming unless they really do have it in for you-if that's the case you'll have a long wait to have your dauy in court and it will probably be thrown out by the judge unless you get a right one. The pf I understand can assist the police in deciding whether it is in the publics interest to charge someone or not and I take it this is what is happening to you.

Things are changing up here in Scotland and there are prosecutions for cutting live trees in the Natinal Park-I welcome that. I do think we as a group of hobbyists really could be tarred with the same brush and the days of carrying an axe and or knife in our packs could very well soon be over but I hope not.

The best of luck bud and let us all know how it pans out, it's cases like yours that are going to determine how the courts/police are going to view our hobby/lifestyle. Thanks for being so honest.

WS

 

[Hobbit on a String]

The deathnell for us is sounding all over Scotland, gone are the days when you could carry an Axe for cutting deadwood for your evening fire.
Been doing a fair bit of searching of court papers, and there is more and more Court dates of guys having thier axes and knifes confiscated.

I doubt very much if i will see my kit again, So i am going to buy a new set,

I never ever cut live tree's i might be a hobbit, but i never cut a living tree, as one day it will give me shelter, and there is plenty of wood and braken and heather around for me to use for such things.

Going to buy the Carbon Steel knife on the website here, and save up for my small GFB again.
They may stop me again, but they can never put out my fire for how i chose to live, by natures call, and natures light.

Since i came out of jail in 1998 i have spent most of it under the stars, all over the UK, and the only hassle i get is up here in the Aberdeenshire area,
My partner is really ****** as she got me my new kit, as the others were falling to bits, and the blades had been honed so much there wasnt much left.

But i will prevail, and they will not stop me living how i chose to live.

The Hobbit

 

[Hobbit on a String]

Brothers and Sister's
I want this to be a shout out to our Brother MikeDB

This Brother is going to sned me a Small GFB Wildlife Axe at no cost,
To me this is Brotherhood, and anything i can do for this Brother i will try and do to my best ability,
He has asked for me or my partners postal address,


My partner is Vickie, and she is willing to be contacted by email and telephone to corrobarate everything i have said.
If you want Vickies email addie, PM and i shall supply also the home telephone number if required

But Brother MikeDB, a Thankyou is alli have at this moment in time, and that is what i gove from the Happy Hobbit

 

[craeg]

Brothers and Sister's
I want this to be a shout out to our Brother MikeDB

This Brother is going to sned me a Small GFB Wildlife Axe at no cost,
To me this is Brotherhood, and anything i can do for this Brother i will try and do to my best ability,
He has asked for me or my partners postal address,



My partner is Vickie, and she is willing to be contacted by email and telephone to corrobarate everything i have said.
If you want Vickies email addie, PM and i shall supply also the home telephone number if required

But Brother MikeDB, a Thankyou is alli have at this moment in time, and that is what i gove from the Happy Hobbit

Hi mate
Sorry about your predicament and you will find such kind generosity on this forum. May I suggest however that you edit this post to remove your address as a simple security precaution as all can see this and PM it to MikeDB. Just a thought for her.

MikeDB - Absolute gentleman

Craeg

 

[sirex]

Hi mate
Sorry about your predicament and you will find such kind generosity on this forum. May I suggest however that you edit this post to remove your address as a simple security precaution as all can see this and PM it to MikeDB. Just a thought for her.

MikeDB - Absolute gentleman

Craeg

prehaps quoting his address wasnt the best idea

 

[Hobbit on a String]

Brothers and Sisters,

Got a rather sad tale to tell,
Raise your mugs and water bottles to a knife and GFB they did thier service well,
The Cops have had the Weapons destroyed.
They were taken to a local foundry and burned, a good way to go,

I have edited the address part of the message i put up, yeah stupid i know, but i wasnt thinking straight, and i thought i could trust folks on here as fellow Bushcrafters, but i have been shown the error of my ways, and it wont happen again,

If anyone wants to contact me, PM and i shall return the same

But i still cant believe brother MikeDB would do that for me, and i am moved by it.

Thankyou all

The Hobbit

 

[BigShot]

Hobbit...
Unless I'm greatly mistaken, the police should not have destroyed your axe and knife for one of two reasons. Either:
1> You'd comitted a crime and so they were evidence which should not be destroyed.
2> You'd done nothing wrong in which case they had no right to destroy them.

If I was you (I'm not, but if) I'd be pushing for them to be replaced. I know MikeDB has offered you a GFB Wildlife Hatchet, but principle is an issue here.

I'd be making a big song and dance to get my things back, and in the event they were destroyed, to get them replaced.

I could understand them being destroyed if you'd accepted a caution (admitting you'd done something wrong but being let go without prosecution) but you didn't, surely the choice then is to hand your kit back or drag you before the courts for them to decide.

I'd go after replacement on principle alone.

That's me though.

 

[Minotaur]

Got a rather sad tale to tell,
Raise your mugs and water bottles to a knife and GFB they did thier service well,
The Cops have had the Weapons destroyed.
They were taken to a local foundry and burned, a good way to go

They took stuff you own, and destroyed it?

Thought they gave you a receipt for them?

Not a lawyer, but could you not go to court, and say 'Prove it'?
'We stopped Mr. Hobbit, and found he had these items on him'
'What items?'
'Oh, we destroyed them'

Think they are setting themselves up to be sued, on so many grounds.

 

[Hobbit on a String]

HI Guys,
i can understand what you boys are saying,

If i had the money to have a Lawyer to go after them i would have no problem with doing that, alas, being on DLA and long term Incap Ben does not allow me the pleasure of taking the ****** to court, and guess what they know it,

I have a better idea up my sleeve,

I am going to do what i was doing in the same area i was doing it, and make sure my partner knows where i am, and when i am doing it,

Open access is great but some land owners dont like it.

The reciept they gave me was one stating that i relingwish ownership of the weapons in my pack, i didnt have a choice, it was either let them take them off me, or be in the cells till court the next morning.

As another poster has pointed out, doesnt matter how rehabillitated i am, the stigma of being an ex con is allows going to be with me, i have never broken a law in the 11yrs since i got out of prison, but that dont matter to the cops, as far as they are concerned i am just an ex con scumbag.
And they know i cant afford to take them to court.

But as i have said that is what happens. i just have to deal with it,

My thanks goes out to MikeDB for the genoristy of what he is doing, and my next purchase is going to be one of the Frosts Mora carbon steel Knife from this website. As i miss my outdoor living,

The sound of the trees in a breeze, the sound of the deer in the woods, the stars above my head, the smoke from a fire wafting around, it is what it means to me, FREEDOM, which i am sure most if not all of you can understand.

The Hobbit

 

[w00dsmoke]

The reciept they gave me was one stating that i relingwish ownership of the weapons in my pack, i didnt have a choice, it was either let them take them off me, or be in the cells till court the next morning.

Hobbit, with the greatest of respect signing a receipt for "relingwish ownership of the weapons in my pack" is an admission on your part that they are weapons; and you did have a choice. If it was me I would have stood my ground, refused to have signed it and politiley/co-operatively went back to the station with the officers and asked to speak with the duty officer. Once their investigations have completed and there have been no evidence to suggest that you were up to no good, then you would ask for your "tools" to be returned.

The police cannot destroy your property like this without following the lawful procedures to do so and without recourse to yourself.

With the greatest respect, I fail to see why anyone would'nt take this further.
Like I suggested earlier; write to the chief constable and then to the IPCC if your issue has not been resolved.
http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/index/complaints/info_leaflets/htmac_leaflets.htm

This is very serious stuff and if police are behaving in this way, then it has vast implications for all of us on this website and many thousands more.

 

[Armleywhite]

And another attack

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7920622.stm