- Man was carrying six-inch replica of the Master Sword, as seen in Legend of Zelda games
- He claimed he was using it as a fidget toy to keep his hands busy
- Police dismissed this claim and he has been sentenced to four months in prison
A 48-year-old man from Nuneaton in England is starting a prison sentence having been apprehended by police for carrying a six-inch replica of the Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda game series.
Anthony Bray was convicted of possession of a bladed article in public, having been apprehended by police in Nuneaton town centre on June 8. He was initially picked up by CCTV operators walking down a busy road with an object in his hand.
Fidget claim
Bray approached officers with the item in his hand – which was inside a sheath and could be released at the click of a button – and was at that point arrested. He claimed the sword was a “fidget” to keep his hands busy and had been bought online as a toy.
However, officers tried to explain to Bray that, despite its intended purpose, it was an item with a sharp point that could be used as a weapon and might put others in fear of it being used against them. He was also carrying the item openly in the town centre.
Zero tolerance
Sargeant Spellman of the Patrol Investigations Unit said that Warwickshire Police take a zero tolerance approach to bladed articles in public. “It is possible to find fidget toys that aren’t six-inch blades,” he added. “It is possible to not walk down the street holding them out in front of you.
“With a bit more self-awareness, Bray could have avoided contact with us completely.”
Bray was sentenced to four months imprisonment and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154 (about $120).
