To ban crossbows & Military style knives in UK?

In the 80s there was talk of banning crossbows when a women in Ealing was murdered with one.

I heard someone on the radio earlier say that you can get automatic crossbows that can fire a number of bolts, so basically a gun, and so easy to buy. I've just had a look online - it's absolutely chilling to see what's so easily available.

Not saying that the laws shouldn't be looked at, but the presence or not of the crossbow would not have made any difference in these murders considering the circumstances.

Can we just ban men instead?

When ds was about 8yo he used a YouTube tutorial to make a pretty effective miniature crossbow out o rolled up paper and pencils (it fired a pencil)
I don't think banning them would make any change to people who want to murder with them.

They’re grim, I would be happy to see them banned, but banning them wouldn’t address the issue.

The issue is violence against women and girls. That’s what we need to address.

But also, can we be clear about what a modern crossbow looks like? This picture is the kind of thing on the market now. We’re not talking big wooden things which reenactors would use!

I thought the reason they weren't banned is they're fairly easy to make, so banning the sale of them wouldn't stop people having them. Obviously you could ban possession, but in general I'd imagine that if someone chose to make one in order to murder people, they'd not be too bothered about the fact possessing the weapon is also illegal.

So you'd be able to stop hobbyists and reenactors having them, just not anyone who was planning to commit murder with them.

I had missed this news how awful

Most of your list are fine with replicas. Not sure what sport requires military knives.

What kind of people buy these weapons with good intentions.

Hobbists
Sportspeople
Re-enactors
Professional renfaire artists.
amatuer enthuiasts
movie fans
theatre and movie prop professionals.

I agree they should be banned. They have no use other than to kill or maim. The fact that a child thinks a weapon is ‘cool’ as PP said, is not a reason for them to have one! How many people are killed accidentally by children with guns in the US?!

I may have a chance to survive if a man fights with his hands or a knife.
But no one would stand a chance against a crossbow.

So yeh I'd like them banned anyway!

It's a no brainier, isn't it?

Yeah, sure, they might find other ways to do kill someone but why make it this easy to kill someone this way?

A lot of members of the Crossbow Vendors Association in this morning, I see.

Of course they should be banned. They are used to terrorise. There's no reason for them to be readily available. This line is easy to draw.

This.

Is it wasn't a military knife, it would be a kitchen knife.

If he didn't buy a cross bow, he could easiky build one, or find something else to use, or most likely have got a shotgun licence.....

You've got half a chance with three of you to fight someone off with a knife, not with a weapon like that though.

It's absolutely sickening. What an absolute coward this man is. What on earth goes through their tiny dicked, worthless minds to believe their actions are remotely justified? I can't help hoping he is horribly murdered in prison.

You’re always going to get sadistic warped individuals who will go to any length to get whatever weapon they fancy. If they can’t be bought over the counter then they’ll acquire them online or elsewhere.
These horrific, appalling murders, any murder, are incomprehensible to me; the fact is that if a man is intent on killing he will use whatever he has to do so.
Violent men won’t care what they use.
Utterly sickening, I feel so sorry for the father, older daughter and their family.

It has happened before a man killed a sex worker with one , can't remember the year.i think in Sheffield perhaps though I maybe wrong on that part.

I guess the argument against crossbows is the same as that against guns: you can't run away from a gun, you can run away from a knife.

I would definitely need to read up more in this area but without looking at what currently exists:

It would seem reasonable to me to manage crossbows/bows similarly to guns: if they are a low power level then no requirement for special storage, higher level = shotgun style licencing and storage requirements and high level = rifle style. You could probably have a higher baseline for what's dangerous than e.g. air rifles and air pistols (for which there are no legal requirements for storage) because it's a lot harder to set a bow off accidentally I think?

You can ultimately never remove the risk but given there is already a regulation system in place you could piggyback on, it feels like it might be an acceptable compromise.

My brother had a crossbow when we were kids. He thought it was cool and he hasn't killed anyone.

I know it's really important to feel you are DOING something when a tragedy like this happens. But rather than banning something that will just be replaced with another weapon, why not fundraise for Women's Aid, volunteer with a women's group or charity, do something to reduce the chances of a woman being harmed? It will make a difference. Banning crossbows won't.

Where do you draw the line in banning things people can kill other people with?

Whilst I can see why the immediate question is 'why does anyone need a crossbow' (the answer is typically, sports/competition) - it isn't addressing the issue which really is 'people violently murdering other people' or even 'men violently murdering women'.

I actually don't disagree that our archery laws could stand updating... given it is still the law that all males in England over the age of 14 should do 2 hours long bow practice a week...

But that isn't the solution. Men like this will kill people with whatever they have to hand, if its not a crossbow or a massive military style knife, its a kitchen knife, a length of cord or their bare hands...

Why, and what, if anything, can be done to stop them wanting to kill in the first place?

Rarer than other methods, sure. Doesn't mean action is not necessary.

Ok it’s rare. Sigh.

It has been done before. I recall an ex husband killing his ex wife this way, whilst his kids and her new husband were in their home.

This.

Someone wants to kill then they will. Crossbow killing is rare.