Police give pagan back knife she took to court
Police give pagan back knife she took to court
A pagan woman arrested for carrying a five-inch blade has been given her knife back.
Debbie King, 45, was originally arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon after she gave up the sacred knife while visiting Fareham Magistrates' Court.
But the Crown Prosecution Service has decided not to press charges against Miss King – declaring it was 'not in the public interest'.
Cate Sussex, area communications manager for the CPS, said: 'We took into account the reasons put forward by Miss King for possessing the item on that day and had to consider whether a court might find her explanation credible.
'We concluded that there was not a realistic prospect of conviction against Miss King on this occasion and accordingly advised the police that no further action should be taken.'
Miss King had taken the knife to court while she was accompanying a family member and reported it straight away to security staff.
She said she needed the knife as she was due to be interviewed on television in full Pagan dress later that day.
But she was later arrested by officers, questioned and released on bail.
However, Miss King has now been sent a letter by Hampshire Constabulary telling her no further action will be taken.
The knife, known as an athame, has also been returned.
The mother-of-two, of Furze Lane, Milton, Portsmouth, said: 'It has been quite a worry – I was beginning to think I was never going to get it back.
'I really have needed it lately as well, because we've got so much going on.
'I use the knife for pagan ceremonies. It was given to me by someone very dear to me and is important to me.
'I don't blame the police, they were doing their job, but it is about raising awareness of paganism.'
But knife victim Bernard Saupe, 60, of Kite Close, Waterlooville, believes there should be zero tolerance to carrying knives.
Mr Saupe, who needed 18 stitches after he was stabbed in Turkey before a football match in 1993, said: 'There should not be one rule for one and one rule for another.
'Anyone could say it's "religious".
'If that knife got in someone else's hands it's potentially very dangerous.'
adam.beardsmore@thenews.co.uk
But the Crown Prosecution Service has decided not to press charges against Miss King – declaring it was 'not in the public interest'.
Cate Sussex, area communications manager for the CPS, said: 'We took into account the reasons put forward by Miss King for possessing the item on that day and had to consider whether a court might find her explanation credible.
'We concluded that there was not a realistic prospect of conviction against Miss King on this occasion and accordingly advised the police that no further action should be taken.'
Miss King had taken the knife to court while she was accompanying a family member and reported it straight away to security staff.
She said she needed the knife as she was due to be interviewed on television in full Pagan dress later that day.
But she was later arrested by officers, questioned and released on bail.
However, Miss King has now been sent a letter by Hampshire Constabulary telling her no further action will be taken.
The knife, known as an athame, has also been returned.
The mother-of-two, of Furze Lane, Milton, Portsmouth, said: 'It has been quite a worry – I was beginning to think I was never going to get it back.
'I really have needed it lately as well, because we've got so much going on.
'I use the knife for pagan ceremonies. It was given to me by someone very dear to me and is important to me.
'I don't blame the police, they were doing their job, but it is about raising awareness of paganism.'
But knife victim Bernard Saupe, 60, of Kite Close, Waterlooville, believes there should be zero tolerance to carrying knives.
Mr Saupe, who needed 18 stitches after he was stabbed in Turkey before a football match in 1993, said: 'There should not be one rule for one and one rule for another.
'Anyone could say it's "religious".
'If that knife got in someone else's hands it's potentially very dangerous.'
adam.beardsmore@thenews.co.uk
02 November 2006
posted by Aestrea Raven at Thursday, November 02, 2006
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home