To ban crossbows & Military style knives in UK?

[StarryIsabella]

First time poster, long term reader!

So I've been following the horrific news today about the monster who killed his ex partner, her sister and mother yesterday in Enfield (London).

Louise Hunt- (25) Hannah Hunt- (28) Carol Hunt- (61)

Reports state that he used a crossbow and other weapons (mainly knives) apparently he killed them in quick succession all at once at their home yesterday.

It shocks me how someone can obtain a weapon like a crossbow that fires arrows rapidly with immense force that can easily break through bone and kill. It's literally a gun, it loads and fires to kill if that's your intention.

Does anyone think these kind of weapons should be banned? What purpose do they serve? If it does serve a purpose then at least install a licence to own one where they can do background checks and interview the person for their reasons to owning one.

Alas! Another woman who wanted to be independent was brutally murdered along other her sister and mother for it.

Just a quick edit: killings with crossbows have happened before in the UK

In 2010, 40-year-old Stephen Griffiths killed 3 women in Bradford that he didn't know. He later admitted he was obsessed with killers and had a hatred for women. All 3 women were complete strangers to him.

I had missed this news how awful

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.

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!

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.

Can we just ban men instead?

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.

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.

I don't mean to sound flippant, but if someone is set on killing a person, a ban on knives/crossbows won't stop them.

Crossbows are horrific weapons.

I remember listening to a podcast about the murder of an elderly man in Wales who was killed by one and one of the surgeons who tried to save his life was clearly very disturbed and distressed by the incredible amount of damage it had caused to the man’s body. It was a shock even for him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65985341.amp

It'd make about as much sense as banning knives or crossbows.

i.e. A massive overrreaction, impossible to actually do, wouldn't achieve what you wanted, and would upset more people than it helped.

This is my view, those ladies sadly would not be alive today if a ban on cross bows existed, they sadly would still be dead at this man’s hand. You can kill someone with rope, a pillow, with your feet or hands, a screwdriver, a heavy ornament, a brick . A. Ban on crossbows would simply mean they sadly died another way,

@FixTheBone I suspect it was a comment to express utter frustration at the seemingly endless violence by men against women rather than a serious suggestion. And the poster is right to feel that way. We are talking about bans on items as a way to mitigate the severity of violence men seek to cause to women because we can't expect them to control their fury and rage at being dumped. The best we can hope for is a knife we might be able to run away from.

FixTheBone

Iamthemoom
Can we just ban men instead?

It'd make about as much sense as banning knives or crossbows.

i.e. A massive overrreaction, impossible to actually do, wouldn't achieve what you wanted, and would upset more people than it helped.

I was being ironic.

But this is the moment for our new government to step up and deal with the endemic misogyny that permeates our nation and results in the deaths of far too many women. This is the moment to lay down a marker and set out a plan to deal with VAWG. And it is about the men not the weapons. Men will murder women with or without weapons. Most Dv murders are carried out without weapons.

There was someone shooting at passers by and birds with a crossbow on an east London estate earlier this summer. It’s not that rare. And ffs justifying it because reenactors use them??!! They don’t need live/ usable weapons to cos play history! Film and tv use is heavily regulated and in many cases can use replicas too. There’s no need for these things.

I completely agree with you OP. Attacking someone with a crossbow is rare but it doesn’t mean that the law (or lack thereof) around them shouldn’t change. Look at what happened regarding gun control after the children in Dunblane were murdered: gun laws changed very quickly soon after, as they should have. That was a rare occurrence too.

VAWG is not rare, happens every single day and perpetrators use all
manner of things to cause harm. But that doesn’t mean they should be able to access stuff like guns and cross bows just because “well, he could use a knife and kill with that so why bother?”

You can kill someone just as easily with a kitchen knife. Laws banning "military" style ones would be pointless.

i don't know what the laws surrounding crossbows is but banning them isn't going to solve any problem either.

Point is that it isn't the weapons that are the problem. Someone is far more likely to snap at home and stab their partner with a kitchen knife.

Exactly!

Men kill women every day using their bare hands. Men are the problem not crossbows.

the UK's Knives Act of 1997 prohibits the sale of combat knives

I agree they should be banned op - there is no legitimate use for some of the ones on sale (pictured above).

I'm sure prop makers in theatres can manage to produce a wooden replica if they need one.

I agree they should be banned OP. If you use them as a sport or hobby then it should be clear to show paperwork to that effect.

Yes people will find other ways to kill should they want to but I think my chances of escaping with my life would be higher if running or fighting someone off if they tried to do it by other means, rather than a gun or a crossbow. I can't outrun or overpower those.

Knives are used for fishing, scuba diving, outdoor activities etc and of course kitchen knives are very sharp, my favourite cooks knife is 8 inches long, lethal in the wrong hands. Sadly if someone is intent on doing harm rate sporting goods are the least of your worries. My heart goes out to the family but a knee jerk reaction isn't what is needed, it's to look at why the person reacted in this way and if there is anything that can be put in place to prevent future cases eg was it a failure of mental health services? Support for veterans?

We have a normal bow in the garage (for sport purposes!) and than could do harm but archery is a sport.

Blame the man. Not the weapon

Why are so many on here defending the right to own a weapon?

Should have the same restrictions as guns - you have to have a licence, reason for keeping it, keep them locked up etc. The ones you can buy are deliberately made all games of thrones, black and sexy - why does anyone need one of these? Can’t see why anyone would argue for no restrictions .