In Public

[Bazile]

Is your front garden classed as ' in public ' ?

[Jomlett]

A public place. A place to which the public has access?

[scorpiojo]

Why? ;-)

[woofgang]

for what purpose?

[Old_Geezer]

Interesting. It is in the public eye (probably) but private land that you allow folk to enter for specific reasons. My guess would be that it depends.

[boxtops]

I think it would depend on the situation, and whether what was happening in your front garden might offend public decency.

[Maydup]

Yes if viewed from the road, no if over looked from a double decker bus. That's only a passing glimpse.

[heathfield]

Depends what you're doing. E.G., If you're simply sunbathing naked, and can be seen by a neighbour, or someone on the street, the nakedness in itself is not an offence. But if that person claimed to be shocked or distressed by what they'd seen, then it can be classed as an offence.

[Bazile]

I was just reading a story about an attack with a machete ;which reminded me of someone once stating that it was not illegal to own a machete , for example to use in the garden to cut down undergrowth / dig up weeds - provided it was not in public .

Was that person correct ?

[hc4361]

You can use a machete in your front garden but a car is classed as a public place so you can't carry it in your boot without a good reason.
Bonkers, isn't it?

[Old_Geezer]

I hope it is not illegal as I have one. But maybe I should have sharpened it because it was garbage at cutting the long grass and stuff in the condition I received it. I went back to the shears and pulling hard on the plants, and whatever else I had to hand.

[hc4361]

It's not illegal to own one, OG.

[Bazile]

Really ?
So you can legally own a machete , provided it is kept within the boundary of your property ?

[hc4361]

Yes, and you can legally carry it in public, too, so long as it is in a suitable cover/box/bag but only if you are going to use it legitimately at the destination - on an allotment, for instance

[Bazile]

This is very interesting , isn't it - i wonder how many people knew that .

At the risk of going on about this -

So , a policeman for example ,walking by on the road past your property , sees you on the frontage of your property using a machete in full view , there is nothing he would do , because you are not breaking any law - is that correct ?

[hc4361]

Assuming you are using it legitimately and not waving it at people in a threatening manner, the policeman would do nothing - no offence is being committed.

Anyone over the age of 18 can buy a machete.

[hc4361]

This company sells machetes and other knives, swords etc and their page re UK law is good

http://www.hunters-knives.co.uk/legal-information-for-knife-and-sword-ownership-in-the-uk

[Bazile]

One final thing i just thought of - what if you are standing on the pavement by the boundary of your property , with the machette in your hand in full view - would that then make it illegal - i.e. your are no longer on your property ?

[Peter Pedant]

o god yes if you are thinking of having sex in it.

I am not sure if it is ungated that you can keep a dangerous dog there.

when is the court case ?

[Bazile]

peter -i've often found your posts a little cryptic - however are you ion the correct thread ?