While knife crime is not a problem in the area, Police in Welshpool wish to raise awareness of the law relating to the carrying of a certain type of knife, a lock knife, in a public place.
In the last three years police have been called on 19 occasions to reports of members of the public attending Welshpool court and found to be in possession of lock knives.
PC Natalie Wareing said
“The knives are readily available for purchase from outlet stores, however, whilst it is not illegal to sell such items, it is illegal to be in possession of them in a public place.
Is it illegal to carry a knife around in a pocket?
It is illegal to carry any sharp or bladed instrument in a public place (with the exception of a folding pocket knife, which has a blade that is less than 7.62 cm (3 inches)).
A lock knife is not a folding pocket knife and therefore it is illegal to carry around such a knife regardless of the length of the blade (if you do not have reasonable excuse).
A lock knife means a knife which is similar to a folding knife, in that there is a spring holding the blade closed. However, a lock knife has a mechanism which locks the blade in position when fully extended, the blade cannot be closed without that mechanism being released.
Lock knifes can sometimes be found within a multi-tools set
Possession of a lock knife in a public place without reasonable excuse is an offence. The penalty for committing this offence is a maximum prison sentence of four years.
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