A ban on the sale, importation and manufacture of zombie knives has come into effect across England and Wales. The amendment to the Criminal Justice Act 1988 will ban the sale, manufacture, rental or importation of knives often referred to as ‘zombie knives’, ‘zombie killer knives’ and ‘zombie slayer knives’.
The knives can have cutting blades of up to 25 inches, have a serrated edge and include images or words that glamorise violence. This year, 13 police forces undertook coordinated action against knife crime, with further weeks of action planned for later this year. The coordinated response by police resulted in 401 arrests, 2,111 weapons taken off the street, and involved targeting habitual knife carriers, weapon sweeps, test purchases of knives from identified retailers and use of surrender bins.
Home Office Minister for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism, Sarah Newton, said: “This government will act wherever necessary to cut crime and keep our communities safe. Zombie killer knives glamorise violence and cause devastating damage – they have no place whatsoever in our society. We committed to banning the sale, manufacture and importation of these dangerous weapons. With the ban now becoming law, we are delivering on our commitment. Anyone caught making or selling zombie knives now faces up to four years in prison.
Chief Constable Alf Hitchcock, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Knife Enabled Crime, said: “Zombie knives are absolutely horrific weapons. Forces are determined to reduce the harm caused by these and all other dangerous weapons. There is no place for knife crime within society and this ban is further commitment to keeping communities safe.”
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “This is a real achievement and shows what powerful changes PCCs can make. Our streets will be safer following this change in the law. With names such as Head Splitter and Death Dagger, no sensible person wants to see ‘zombie knives’ in circulation and now, after a year of hard work, we will finally see them banned once and for all.
“Strong and swift action here means the sale and importation of these weapons has been outlawed before they became a widespread problem. I am proud of this achievement and welcome the change to the law wholeheartedly.” Jamieson met with former Shadow Policing Minister Jack Dromey and ex-Home Office Minister and now Cabinet Minister Karen Bradley in Westminster, pointing out the dangers of ‘zombie knives’ and their growing prevalence on the streets. He also wrote to then-Home Secretary Theresa May and Amazon UK CEO Chris North, which resulted in security being tightened on the website. Questions were also tabled in Parliament by local West Midlands MP Ian Austin in February 2016.
After discussions between the UK government and Northern Ireland Executive, Minister of Justice Claire Sugden has confirmed she will take forward the necessary action to create legislation to ban zombie knives in Northern Ireland. The Home Office will communicate the ban in England and Wales to frontline border officers, and Border Force will continue enforcing the law around the importation of dangerous weapons, including zombie knives, into the UK.
