Learnt a bad lesson today

[Mouse040]

Well this thread as gone all Pete tong

I have tried not to post anything about how I feel about what's being said but I now feel I have to !

It's nothing to do with class or how much money you've got. It's whether you're a strong character, free thinking and got a bit of tenacity in you. That's something money can't buy.

I hope I have character I know I have free thinking and dam sure I have tenacity BUT I have four children to provide for I started my own company when I finished my apprenticeship and ran it for 13 years until January this year where I lost EVERYTHING due to illness and my inability to resolve the situation at this point I had a short sharp shock from having a very comfortable lifestyle and suddenly having to live on a hundred pounds a week with me my wife two step children and my four kids and knowing that I will never be able to do the one job that I truly loved ever again and I just don't know how to do another .
I don't mind saying I don't cope with that very well I'm lucky that my family and wife support me and have stood by me and the person that punishes me the most is myself and there is not a day that goes by that I do not feel less of a man because I cannot give my family the financial support they deserve
So please don't judge me as the small amount of money I spent already fighting my corner meant the world to me I simply made a choice YES I HAD HIGH REGARD FOR MY KNIFE BUT MY FAMILY COME FIRST ALWAYS ,I DON'T BACK DOWN I JUST HAVE TO BE A REALIST FEEDING MY KIDS OR STANDING UP FOR MY RIGHTS NO CHOICE !!!

 

[Samon]

Totally understandable.

But.. if the fight never gets fought, the innocent man will lose his rights.

 

[Oakleaf]

M040

If anything I posted read as implying any criticism of yourself then herewith my complete and unreserved apology.

My criticism is of a system that places people such as yourself in such a position viz a viz the knife and of a general maliase within affected communities that simply sit back and take it as one by one lives are wrecked.

It is difficult because none of us here have the right nor I believe intent to intrude into your personal affairs. I deeply regret I can't express a view in any other way than seeming to 'use' your situation -

1. You should not be in such a position
2. An organised voice should be speaking for individuals.

Appreciate skating well out onto the thin ice of politics here and I genuinely dont wish to offend or tub thump. But I see and have experienced the misery that poorly devised statute causes and it gets me as annoyed as I am ever likely too be.

M040 - you must do what you feel is best in your circumstances. There is one certainty - things will get better. I wish you well on the journey.

 

[Andy BB]

A question for the lawyers in here! A CRB will pick up cautions, but will they pick up "warnings"?

As to Mouse's actions, you always put family first, no arguments.

What is interesting however is the fact that group organisations have the financial muscle to push through and fund a test case, which individuals often don't. And that then becomes case law, which - if nothing else - stops the CPS from pushing "dodgy" cases to court. Can't remember the name now, but, for example, those with air-rifles can join a national club, which also includes insurance. Maybe there is some mileage in looking at a Bushcraft organisation?

 

[Mesquite]

A warning is the same as a caution... just different termonology

Details here

And the answer is yes it stays on your record for life... and it will show up on a CRB search. I think it's after 5 years that it's regarded as spent but you do have to declare if you're having an Enhanced CRB search done regardless of how long ago the offence was.

 

[Paul Webster]

If mouse was happy with it and it conformed to forum rules, I'd happily donate a tenner into a PayPal account for legal fees. I'm sure allot of others would too.

 

[Mouse040]

If mouse was happy with it and it conformed to forum rules, I'd happily donate a tenner into a PayPal account for legal fees. I'm sure allot of others would too.

Again really no the reason my personal situation wasn't portrayed at the beginning was to avoid this I don't wish to offend anyone
I now regret my rant money or material things do not determine who I am and at no point will I be excepting any offers
Again I apologise if offence is taken

 

[Paul Webster]

Again really no the reason my personal situation wasn't portrayed at the beginning was to avoid this I don't wish to offend anyone
I now regret my rant money or material things do not determine who I am and at no point will I be excepting any offers
Again I apologise if offence is taken

No offence taken mouse, but with a community of 28,000 members I'm sure we could have helped financially should you have asked/needed it. If we can't come together as a community and help one of our own should they need it, whats the point.

sent from my smart phone thingy using chubby digits

 

[Mouse040]

No offence taken mouse, but with a community of 28,000 members I'm sure we could have helped financially should you have asked/needed it. If we can't come together as a community and help one of our own should they need it, whats the point.

sent from my smart phone thingy using chubby digits

I do appreciate it Paul and understand the sentiment in which the offers have been made but I must decline ( trying to hold on to my last bit of pride ) again thank you for reminding me why I'm on this forum

 

[Nonsuch]

I am rapidly concluding the only knife to carry anywhere in the UK whatever you are doing is a strong sub 3" non-locking folder, such as a Shing. Even then you could be unlucky.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I now regret my rant money or material things do not determine who I am and at no point will I be excepting any offers
Again I apologise if offence is taken

Don't regret it Mouse, it was very relevant & a salutary warning to us all. I personally think you took the wisest decision, it's better to back down from a fight that you have little chance of winning as well as risk loosing a lot more than your cause... & concentrate on the more important battles you can win.

The knife laws in the UK suck I think we all agree on that but if ever there is a chance that the laws could be changed it will be brought about by countless petitions,lobbies & mass mobilisations, not by the odd individual putting himself into debt & comprimising his health & familly to prove a point in court.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Buddy,
Times are hard pal, I can relate to some of the troubles you have been through,
Nearly (very!) lost everything myself.
If you could use a decent bushcraft knife pm me, I can help.
Some cats were there for me when the chips were down and what goes around comes around.

Best.

chris.

 

[boatman]

But if one doesn't stand up to this institutional bullying then one will never feel happy about taking a knife to the woods again.
And the rest of us will feel that bit more uneasy. Seems a huge loss of liberty to me and any who would temporise and volunteer to have lockable sheaths or voluntarily carry only a sub 3 inch folder might just as well stay in doors lest they fall foul of some other non-law created by the constabulary. Oh yes! don't carry a camera because that is a sure route to conflict with the police, not the law.

As for thinking of your families, perhaps you should think of the much much more restricted lives they will be forced to lead if you keel over.

 

[Lister]

Reading over this thread and the offers of help, i can't help but smile, this is what a community is about. a thought, could we build a central pot to then maybe build a campaign to take to the likes of NFU, BASC, NSRA, Ramblers Association and so forth to get the law clarified or at the very least get the bodies (loosely) associated with Bushcraft to come together and challenge the misconceptions? I'd be happy if i had a bit of paper to say YES i'm carrying a knife and here's what it's used for, a knife, like a shotgun is, first and foremost) a weapon, a tool second (some will disagree and i have no problem with that) but if a license helps you carry a shotgun unimpeded then if it lets me go about bushcrafting unimpeded then i'd be for it.

 

[boatman]

I'd be happy if i had a bit of paper to say YES i'm carrying a knife and here's what it's used for, a knife, like a shotgun is, first and foremost) a weapon, a tool second (some will disagree and i have no problem with that) but if a license helps you carry a shotgun unimpeded then if it lets me go about bushcrafting unimpeded then i'd be for it.

How about a similar permit to be out at night? Dangerous nonsense, legal is legal. Looking forward to only looking at the woods through railings?

 

[Goatboy]

Lister, the Ramblers Association! Really?, that bunch of red sock wearing selective law abiding self promoters would love NO-ONE else to be on the hill bar themselves tapping along with their ineffectual little telescopic poles and Rohan bags on.

Sorry about that those gate opening crop tramplers really get my goat, I'll go and lie down now before I start on the RSPB.

 

[gixer]

But if one doesn't stand up to this institutional bullying then one will never feel happy about taking a knife to the woods again.
And the rest of us will feel that bit more uneasy. Seems a huge loss of liberty to me and any who would temporise and volunteer to have lockable sheaths or voluntarily carry only a sub 3 inch folder might just as well stay in doors lest they fall foul of some other non-law created by the constabulary. Oh yes! don't carry a camera because that is a sure route to conflict with the police, not the law.

As for thinking of your families, perhaps you should think of the much much more restricted lives they will be forced to lead if you keel over.

Can't help but think that if you feel THAT strongly then maybe you should take up the challenge yourself.

Strap on your rucksack with a axe on the side, have you fixed blade dangling from your belt and adjust your route to the woods to take you past a fairly busy police station.
Try that enough times till you get stopped and shout about your "lose of liberty" enough till they arrest you.

Your then free to fight the system through as many courts as you like with YOUR money and YOUR reputation/criminal record at stake.

Until that time i think it's best to let us grown up's make our own judgement calls and decisions without some keyboard warrior sitting in the safety of their home goading on other members.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

(5)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4) above, it shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had the article with him—
(a)for use at work;
(b)for religious reasons; or
​

(c)as part of any national costume.
(d) for bushcrafting
(e)for camping
(f) for Hiking
(g) for playing about in the woods
(h) for carving spoons
(i) for taking it to a mate's house to show him.

That's much better..

 

[Andy BB]

Hmmm - "For religious reasons".....

Set up new religion requiring the carrying of bushcraft tools? After all, there's no way anyone can prove that our new religion isn't the right one!

 

[Faz]

Mouse, would you mind expanding on how the warning took place?

Sorry if I have missed it but was it a case of the officer taking the knife from you in the street and giving you a verbal warning along the lines of don't do it again or did you accept and sign something more official.