Englishman Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Replica Master Sword

Posted on July 06 2024 by Judy Cooper

A man has been sentenced to four months in prison for openly carrying a six-inch replica of the Master Sword. Anthony Bray, 48, was arrested in the market town of Nuneaton in Warwickshire, England on June 8th, 2024. Police first became aware of Bray via CCTV, and later performed the arrest when he approached them with the item visible in his hand.

In the UK, police are allowed to stop and search a suspect if they believe he or she is carrying a weapon. The consequences of carrying a knife in England are up to four years in prison, even if one is carrying it for someone else.

The sword carried by Bray was inside a sheath that could be released with the press of a button. Bray explained to police that the article’s intended purpose was to be used as “a fidget,” something to keep his hands busy, insisting that he would not have used the blade as a weapon.

Sgt Spellman, of the patrol investigations unit, said:

We take a zero tolerance [approach] to bladed articles in public, and Bray has fallen afoul of this. It is possible to find fidget toys that aren’t six-inch blades. It is possible not to walk down the street holding them out in front of you. With a bit more self-awareness, Bray could have avoided contact with us completely.

Bray was sentenced at Leamington Spa Magistrates Court on June 28th, 2024, and is required to pay a victims’ surcharge of £154.

Carrying a sharp Master Sword replica openly in public isn’t Bray’s first run-in with the UK’s criminal justice system. His first conviction as a juvenile for domestic burglary occurred in 1989, followed by regular appearances in court for thefts and commercial burglaries in the 90s. Bray was sentenced twice to 18 months in prison for house burglaries in 2001 and 2003, after which any further offences meant he was classed as a “three strikes” burglar and liable to a minimum sentence of three years, minus any credit he was given for a guilty plea. He later received additional prison sentences for burglary in 2004, 2007, and 2009.

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Source: Warwickshire Police, Coventry Telegraph (via Coventry Observer, Forbes)