A judge has ordered the Crown Prosecution Service to make a public apology to a gardener who was arrested and taken to court for carrying a scythe which he said he needed for his work.
"Peter Drew, 49, a self employed ground clearance contractor, had the scythe and other bladed tools in his work van when he was stopped by police on his way to a job in Penzance, Cornwall".
The law:
Tradesmen are entitled to carry their implements provided they are doing so in connection with their work, therefore giving them a lawful excuse, lawyers said.
It is not clear why police stopped Mr Drew in the first place. However, it would appear that the reason did not amount to anything. Therefore, it would appear to me that in some kind of face saving attempt the police decided to arrest and charge him on a trumped up charge. As I understand it, the process would have to go through at least a desk sergeant first and perhaps even a inspector before it got to the CPS. What is the point of having these safeguards if they are not used properly?
5 comments:
What is being shown in the picture is actually a sickle.
A scythe is a long flat curved blade on the end of a pole, with two 90 degree handles on it, and is normally associated as the weapon of choice of the grim reaper.
We were just talking about this. Disarming the people.
jailhouselawyer,
Proof of the lunancy of government's obsession with 'targets'.
The item is known as a 'swap hook' where I live; brilliant tool for ground clearance.
I wonder whether the elderly gentleman who had his walking stick confiscated by police (on the ridiculous excuse of it being a potential weapon) managed to get home without falling and hurting himself ?
John,
Police must be working to directives and at vast, unnecessary costs to taxpayers.
"Mr Arthur Jones of Hackney, East London appeared in Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday on the charge of intention to supply a known drug. When arrested, he was found to be in possession of nearly 1,000 bottles of Aspirin."
Mr Jones, described as a 'Chemist' said in mitigation that he sold the aspirin for a living.
"We simply don't believe him" said a police spokesman
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