London, UK – A man in Britain has been sentenced to four months in prison and a fine of $196 for wielding a replica sword from the Legend of Zelda Nintendo computer video games on the street.
Anthony Bray, 48, was recently named by Warwickshire police and sentenced for “being found in possession of a bladed article in public.” According to a police statement, the small replica of the Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda games had a blade length of 6 inches.
The Master Sword is a well-known weapon in the Legend of Zelda series, a popular game franchise enjoyed by gamers globally since the 1980s. This sword, with a blue and yellow handle and sheath, has the power to vanquish evil and break magical barriers, as described by fan websites dedicated to the game’s protagonist, the young hero Link.
While the UK has stringent gun laws and a low gun homicide rate, knife crime continues to be a prevalent issue, with over 50,000 offenses involving sharp instruments recorded by the police in the year ending March 2023, based on government data.
In this particular case, Warwickshire police approached Bray in Nuneaton, a market town in central England, after CCTV footage showed him walking on the street on June 8 carrying the replica sword.
Bray claimed that the sword was a “fidget” toy, bought to keep his hands busy. However, police emphasized to Bray that despite its intended purpose, it could be used as a weapon and cause fear among the public.
Sgt. Fern Spellman of the Patrol Investigations Unit reiterated the zero-tolerance approach to bladed articles in public and pointed out that Bray could have chosen fidget toys that weren’t sharp blades. The police spokesperson confirmed that the replica Master Sword had been destroyed.
The incident has raised concerns about serious violence involving bladed articles in Warwickshire, with recent incidents in Nuneaton, one of which reportedly resulted in the loss of a young man’s life in the town center.