Man caught with cigarette lighter shaped like a gun jailed for 10 months...In the U.K

The law is just as stupid as this guy.

Why would you carry a replica gun into a leisure centre?

Why would you sentence anybody 15 months in prison for carrying a lighter that looks like a gun, and wasnt been used to hurt anybody?

I means yeah, if the guy had it out as if it was real then he should do the sentence.

originally posted by: gladtobehere
a reply to: switchqm8

Did they shoot his dog and assault him while yelling "stop resisting!!!"?

Nah that only happens here in the usa

originally posted by: stirling
The UK has had a long history of oppressing its citizens....I cant believe they would even fight for their country....

And like the USA is any better


As been pointed out US cops shot for less......

In my eyes there was a criminal carrying what could be deemed as a possible firearm, in or around a leisure centre. The Police obviously had cause to carry out a stop and search on this man, meaning that he must have been looking dodgy to begin with.

If he were to walk into a Post office and point said lighter at the cashier, would she know that it was a lighter? No, to her someone is pointing a gun at her, making it an armed robbery, Joe public in general would see a gun and not a lighter on first sight. My guess is that this man already had convictions for violence or robbery to get such a sentence. Probably a good thing that he's been sent down anyway.

To me the punishment doesn't fit the crime.

He wasn't "brandishing a weapon" or anything, like pointing it at a bank clerk and saying "give me the money" like some ppl are postulating as "what if's"/

originally posted by: igor_ats
To me the punishment doesn't fit the crime.

He wasn't "brandishing a weapon" or anything, like pointing it at a bank clerk and saying "give me the money" like some ppl are postulating as "what if's"/

He was out on parole.

So it not so much what he did that landed home back but just the fact he violated his parole that seems to be the issue.

a reply to: lightedhype

We have paint balls and air soft guns. I have 10 of them.

Its how you use them that restricted. If I go to a empty field to shot cans with the BB guns no one would give a dam, in fact the local police don't.

If I carried them into my local town center and starting waving it at children Im going to get into a a lot of crap.

Anyone in the UK should know walking around with anything that looks a bit like a gun will attract the attention of plod, around here someone saw a person holding a broom up to clean some spider webs or such and they thought it was a gun so next thing theres 5 armed cars surrounding the house and anyone who's born and bred in the UK should know having anything looking like a gun is an open invitation to have plod knocking your door down every 5 mins unless you have the right paperwork.

Infact he broke the law even bringing it into the country so really he's an idiot and deserves what he got as he certainly didn't declare it at customs

Bail or not, (which by the way means hes OUT and that doesnt give them the right to harrass him) no one should get prison or a fine for a lighter. NO MATTER WHAT, EVER.

Now the other part is this: DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SPEAK UP AND GET HIM OUT. DON'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO PEOPLE. SERVE AND PROTECT OR YOU DESERVE THE SAME.

originally posted by: lightedhype

I am curious. UK members help me out. Are pellet guns legal there? (like Airsoft guns) What about Paintball guns?

As long as it does not look like a handgun is it okay? I really want to know lol.

It'd be a damn shame if you guys cannot at least play some paintball or plink with a pellet gun.

Yes they are legal. I had lots of Airsoft guns as a teenager, then a couple of air rifles.

a reply to: lightedhype

In England you can buy the following weapons without a licence if you are over 18

Air powered rifles upto 12ft lbs
Air powered pistols upto 6ft lbs
CO2 powered rifles upto 12ft lbs
CO2 powered pistols upto 6ft lbs
Crossbows & crossbow pistols
Longbows
Paintball guns
air soft guns
Blank firing guns
Knives
Swords

In England if you have the correct firearms licence type you can buy

Shotguns
Rifles
Muzzle loading rifles
Muzzle loading pistols

Well, its NOT an "imitation firearm", its a lighter!

He should not be charged with carrying an imitation firearm because it isn't one, it even has the word "Lighter" molded into it!

What he should have been charged with (if it happened) was causing people to fear for their safety, this I believe is Common law assault.
I think he must have had a very poor lawyer.

Also he has no brains because it was obvious what would happen the moment it became visible to anyone.

My 6 year old daughter does gymnastics at that leisure centre. The thought of some loony walking in with a gun makes me ill. Sure it wasn't real but if you were there with your kid and saw what's clearly a career criminal carrying a gun...? Why did he have it, in a place packed with kids birthday parties and sports?

Sorry for the crap first post!

originally posted by: Wolfshead
My 6 year old daughter does gymnastics at that leisure centre. The thought of some loony walking in with a gun makes me ill. Sure it wasn't real but if you were there with your kid and saw what's clearly a career criminal carrying a gun...? Why did he have it, in a place packed with kids birthday parties and sports?

Sorry for the crap first post!

While I agree that it would be worrisome to see a man with that thing in his hand I have to ask -

saw what's clearly a career criminal

How do you know that?

originally posted by: Wolfshead
My 6 year old daughter does gymnastics at that leisure centre. The thought of some loony walking in with a gun makes me ill. Sure it wasn't real but if you were there with your kid and saw what's clearly a career criminal carrying a gun...? Why did he have it, in a place packed with kids birthday parties and sports?

Sorry for the crap first post!

I know this is your first post BUT.

Care to link to where it says he is a career criminal.

He's a loony? do you have a link to prove he was mentally unstable or suffering from mental illness?

Walking in a leisure centre with a gun? do you have a link for that too? I read he had a lighter

Where does it say about birthday parties oh and btw again HE DIDN'T HAVE A GUN.

All you typed was reactionary rubbish.

a reply to: DrMescalito

Dr, it's more than likely that this chap was a career criminal, just looking at him being given a 15 month sentence for such a trivial matter. If I were to get caught carrying this (having no criminal record) I wouldn't have even been arrested let alone sentenced to 15 months.

Believe me, you don't go to prison easily in this country, this guy must have some serious form to get that punishment.

It was in the local paper, he was on bail or probation for some other offence when this happened, so yes I'd suggest he's a career criminal. He has a long record apparently. For someone to go into a leisure centre with what looks like a real gun I would question their mental state (although "loony" over here just means a nutjob not someone certifiably insane).
As for the birthday parties, I know because my wee girl has been to loads there, they hold lots of them. The place is full of small children and families, its pretty much the last place you'd want to see some whacko carrying what you would assume was a gun.

I know people who've been to jail, i'd say a lot of people do, most aren't career criminals,they make mistakes
and get punished. Not all are using crime as a career and one 15month stretch does not equal career criminal,
Possession for Cannabis can be a longer stretch.


Also - Yorkshireman above. I live in Carlisle, UK.

originally posted by: brianporter
Knives
Swords

Fixed blade knives (the army type "kill" looking ones) and the ones that look like just for stabbing ppl are illegal to sell I think.

You can buy, say a kitchen knife legally (which can still do as much damage I guess,) but a policeman can certainly still charge you with something if you're an "urban" male who is carrying a fixed blade knife who doesn't have a "reasonable reason" for having one. A middle-class woman coming home from shopping with a deadly kitchen knife set has a "good reason".

If it's retractable (non-locking and under a certain length) it's legal, but they can/will still give you hassle no doubt.

originally posted by: DrMescalito
I know people who've been to jail, i'd say a lot of people do, most aren't career criminals,they make mistakes
and get punished. Not all are using crime as a career and one 15month stretch does not equal career criminal,
Possession for Cannabis can be a longer stretch.


Also - Yorkshireman above. I live in Carlisle, UK.

I see, your description says that your location is North Carolina?

Nobody goes to prison anymore in this country for possession of cannabis. Possession with intent to supply then maybe, but not for simple possession and a 15 month stretch for it, not a chance!

For this man to receive a 15 month sentence he must have a long offending history, and the judge has clearly deemed it necessary to take him off of the streets for a while. If it were any 'decent' person caught with this lighter then it would never see the inside of a court room.