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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it's not illegal to keep a baseball bat under our bed for the purpose of self-defence?

74 replies

startingmylifeagain · 26/02/2016 15:51

Had a spate of burglaries in our area lately.
Two nights ago our next door neighbour was burgled. She's elderly and traumatized. They took everything.
We're all a bit worried as you can imagine and taking extra precautions.

So last night I asked DH where our baseball bat was (he used to play and kept it in the wardrobe) and he reminded me that we'd put it in the attic a while back.
This is how our conversation went:

Me: "Oh so let's get it down and keep it under the bed."
DH: "Why?"
Me: "In case we're burgled and need to defend ourselves against thugs!"
DH: "You can't do that."
Me: "Why?"
DH: "It's illegal to keep something like that for the purpose of self -defence."
Me: "Wait, what?"

So who's right, any advice?

OP posts:
bornwithaplasticspoon · 26/02/2016 15:52

Dh has had one under his side of the bed for years. No more illegal than having knives in the kitchen is it?

Wolfiefan · 26/02/2016 15:53

I believe he's right actually. If the bat happened to be the closest thing to hand then that's fine. But if it is lying there in waiting or you deliberately go and get it then that's premeditated.

Wolfiefan · 26/02/2016 15:54

Having knives in the kitchen is totally different. They are there to prepare food. There's no logical reason to store a bat under the bed!

GreenTomatoJam · 26/02/2016 15:55

In the UK I believe it's proportional response that's allowed.

If all they're doing is nicking stuff, then beating them to a pulp with a baseball bat is not proportional (people, even burglars, are worth more than things)

HumTiddlyTum · 26/02/2016 15:55

What Wolfie said, if you so happened to be practising your swing before bed it would be fine to use in self defence but specifically putting it there for such a thing isn't allowed.

I like to practise my golf swing in my pj's.

originalmavis · 26/02/2016 15:56

Next to our front door (a flat so I Ly one entrance door) is a cricket bat, couple of hockey sticks, some tennis rackets, skateboard, some hiking poles, fishing rod, two fishing nets and some golf brolies.

I'm not sure what would happen if someone tried to break in but they'd probably do themselves an injury tripping over all the crap by the front door.

Spudlet · 26/02/2016 15:57

I'm pretty sure that you'd be skating a fine line there... There's a difference between having a baseball bat in (say) the cupboard and having it ready to batter someone at a moments notice. Similarly a knife in the kitchen us one thing - a knife by the bed is different.

ladyofthelake84 · 26/02/2016 15:58

Carrying a weapon in a public place for the purposes of self defence is illegal. Having one in your home is not.

I am not sure how much use it would actually be, but if it makes you feel safer then go for it.

Haffdonga · 26/02/2016 15:59

I think it's a matter of proportionalilty.

If he picked it up to scare off a burglar or to defend himself against a knife weilding psycho - he's committing no crime at all.

If he used it to brutally batter an intruder to unconsciousness or death who was tiptoeing through your garden for example, then that would not be proportional and it would be a crime.

meditrina · 26/02/2016 15:59

Yes, it is illegal to keep something like that for the purposes of self defence

But it's fine to keep items anywhere in your house that suits you. So if sports kit lives under the bed, and one item of that is what you grab, that's not a problem. You might want to add a catching mitt and a couple of balls, and perhaps a hockey stick, cricket bat and some golf clubs to add verisimilitude.

HeffalumpHistory · 26/02/2016 16:00

Tbh I'd happily lie in the circumstances that I have legitimately been practicing/start googling local training for a bit of back up. (Well over thought this now....)

If they're prepared to be in your property then they're probably prepared to knock seven shades of shit out of you, I'd be getting in there first...

zzzzz · 26/02/2016 16:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

princesspineapple · 26/02/2016 16:03

My boyfriend used to drive around with one in the boot of the car when he was a rebellious teenager and upset the wrong people... Apparently it's illegal if you keep it for the sole purpose of using it as a weapon, but not if you have it for sports and then it happens to be "useful" in event of a break in... So he also used to drive around with a baseball and a catching mitt Grin
Not sure how true this all is by the way... He was a shitty teenager so the logic/law could be very flawed!

Original poster
startingmylifeagain · 26/02/2016 16:04

Hmm, I'm trying to get my head round this.
so to bring it down from the attic and keep it under our bed for the purpose of defending ourselves in the event that someone attacked us is illegal?

OP posts:
HeffalumpHistory · 26/02/2016 16:04

Only if you admit that's the purpose

Haffdonga · 26/02/2016 16:04

There was an article in the Guardian a week or two agao. A guy used a Samurai sword to defend himself against a drug crazed burglar. (He just happened to collect antique swords). Initially he tried to scare off the burglar by just waving the sword around but eventually he had to actually slash the burglar hard to get the guy off him.

He was found to have committed no crime at all but got into an argument with the polce about who should pay the postage to return his sword to him after it had been taken away as evidence. (The police paid Smile )

princesspineapple · 26/02/2016 16:05

Ps, it sounds like a really frightening time for you, hope the baseball bat is never needed! Flowers

Katenka · 26/02/2016 16:05

It's an area full of detail.

I have a Shillelagh in my house. It's an ornament that my nanas mum had, it's been passed down the family. If I felt an intruder was a threat to my saftey and it was the nearest thing to grab. I would be OK.

If I kept it with the purpose of battering someone with it. or if found someone in my house who tried to run away and the chased them with it and battered them, that's not ok.

Bunbaker · 26/02/2016 16:05

The problem with something like this is what if the burglar manages to get the bat off you and use it himself?

OhShutUpThomas · 26/02/2016 16:06

I sleep with a knife under the mattress when DH works away there I said it

OhShutUpThomas · 26/02/2016 16:06

It's not illegal.

OhShutUpThomas · 26/02/2016 16:06

.....it's not illegal, you can keep stuff wherever you like in your own house.

Katenka · 26/02/2016 16:07

Only if you admit that's the purpose

This.

I have throwing knives in my house, because I am member of a knife throwing club. It's not illegal for me to have them. It's not illegal to have them on my car, if I am going to the knife club.

It would be illegal for me to carry them in car all the time or for self defence purposes.

ladyofthelake84 · 26/02/2016 16:09

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL.

Criminal barrister here.

Definitely not illegal to keep a baseball bat for the purposes of defending yourself.

See the CPS website if you are in doubt - carrying an offensive weapon is only an offensive in a public place.

www.cps.gov.uk/legal/l_to_o/offensive_weapons_knives_bladed_and_pointed_articles/#a07

LocalEditorEssex · 26/02/2016 16:11

I do know that my main defence against someone breaking in isn't allowed a prolonged attack.
It's an 8yr old GSD.
I think she is allowed one bite, anything else is deemed an attack not defence.

I could be wrong, most probable actually

With regards to actual instruments as weapons I think as previously mentioned, you have to have a reason for that item being where it is.
So, a hammer in a bedroom that is being worked on would make sense. A hammer under a pillow wouldn't.