Yes, I felt my p*** beginning to boil at this too. For any legislation in this direction to be enforceable it would need a means to determine the contents of your dwelling and no doubt would come with all manner of opportunities for fishing trips.breacher wrote:Obiously, as a shooter who loves his sport - this is a worrying move to more ill-founded legislation.
However, what is really worrying me is the "offensive weapons" at home part..........
How many times in UK culture is the "privacy of ones home" lauded ? There are so many possessions illegal in public but permitted "in the privacy of ones home". Same goes for free speech. There are things one can say in public that will lead to arrest that are allowed "in the privacy of ones home". Same goes for certain behaviour.
And I think thats a good thing. I truely fear a Govt who wants to regulate what goes on "in the privacy of my home".
I think this concept is a slippery slope to a world where Police no longer need warrants as your home is just as much fair game as the public highway !!!
It brought to mind an incident involving my friend and a brief discussion with a police officer at his door.
My friend collects those ridiculously over the top Klingon blades and fantasy weapons which he displays on all the walls of his flat.
One day there was a disturbance a few doors down - some sort of domestic issue. The police were called and at some point the officers knocked on the doors of nearby flats to ask if they had heard or seen anything
An officer knocked on my friend's door and when he answered it the copper was continually looking beyond my friend at these huge war axes and swords. "Those things sicken me. They have no place or merit. I'd ban them." Other views were exchanged but that was the nub of it.
It stuck in my mind. Not only was it not his place to comment on the private enjoyment of my mate's display but it seemed a very arrogant approach to questioning a member of the public of whom you wanted assistance. Basically 'I'm going to criticize you in the privacy of your own home over a perfectly legal collection AND I still expect you to help me in my enquiries.'
Unfortunately it had set the tone for his enquiries and my mate simply got rid of him asap. "Nope. didn't hear or see anything Sorry. Bye."
As for the slippery slope ... we hit that back in 1995
This country has been going downhill ever since Parliament meddled with the perfectly sound police caution regarding the right to silence during an arrest. Everything you need to know about Britain's authorities' attitude towards citizens is succinctly contained within the following words:
"You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."
It neatly dovetails with sections 34 to 37 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 so a court can infer guilt from silence and p*** all over the concept of the right to silence, not to incriminate yourself, and the prosecution being obliged to make all the headway in proving their case.
We're the most spied upon, most legislated against citizens in the supposedly free world.
But ... that's a whole 'nother discussion. :)
