US tourist arrested in seaside town ‘because he didn’t understand UK laws’
Holidaymaker, reportedly from an open-carry US state, had UK weapons laws explained to him by officers
Police arrested an American tourist who admitted to openly carrying a knife on a British beachfront.
The man had reportedly been sunbathing in Herne Bay on Thursday when locals reported to Kent Police that he was carrying a knife.
The American reportedly told officers he came from an open-carry state in the US, claiming he had the blade for protection and was unaware he could not carry it in public in the UK.
After being arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife, he was handed a community resolution where British law around knife crime was “fully explained to him”, police said.
“It was quite strange,” a resident told KentOnline. “I was just walking the dog along the seafront and saw a man relaxing on the grass verge listening to UB40 on his phone.
“I carried on walking and when I turned around, I noticed a police car at the bottom of Swalecliffe Avenue and two police officers talking to him.
“But then another two officers arrived.”
It is believed the tourist had picked up the steak knife from the kitchen of his rental property close to the coastline on Thursday April 3.
A police spokesman told The Independent: “Kent Police was called to a report that a man had been seen with a knife in the Hampton area of Herne Bay at 10.30am on Thursday.
“Officers attended and a man, who is a US citizen and was on holiday in the area, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife.
“In interview, the man made a full admission to possessing the knife in public and explained he had not understood UK law around possession of knives.
“The knife was seized and, following consideration of the circumstances, the matter was dealt with by a community resolution, during which the law was fully explained to him.”
The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is either four years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. British law states offenders will get a prison sentence if they are convicted of carrying a knife or weapon illegally more than once.
The only exceptions are folding pocketknives that have a cutting edge no longer than 3 inches and are not lock knives.
Good reasons for carrying a knife or weapon in public include if its for work, for religious reasons, such as the kirpan some Sikhs carry, and as part of any national costume.