Don’t carry a blade in public in the UK, especially if you have a long rap sheet.
It sounds kind of outlandish – maybe some grotesque police spiel or “tough on crime” gone too far – if you just read the headlines. A man in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England, has been arrested for carrying a six-inch replica of Zelda’s master sword in public. The police spotted him and arrested him, and he was sentenced to four months in prison and fined £154 (or about $195). It is important to note that this was not just a prop. The blade was sharp.
The man in question is Anthony Bray, pictured below via Warwickshire Police. You can also read the police report here.
Anthony Bray
Via police report:
Bray approached officers with a visible object in his hand, at which point he was arrested while carrying a bladed object.
Bray claimed the sword was a “non-motor” – something that kept his hands busy. He bought it online as a clumsy toy.
The officers tried to explain to Bray that despite its intended purpose, it was actually a sharp object that could be used as a weapon and that could make others fear it would be used against them.
He also wore it openly in Nuneaton town centre.
Sgt Spellman, from the Patrol Investigations Unit, said: “We have zero tolerance for items with blades in public and Bray got away with it.
“It’s possible to find fidget toys that aren’t six-inch blades. It is possible not to walk down the street and hold them in front of you.
“With a little more self-awareness, Bray could have avoided contact with us entirely.
However, many people consider the prison sentence to be excessive. You can legally carry assault rifles here in the US. I own six or seven swords and while I don’t go out in public with them often, I do on some occasions like Halloween. But this is a different country with different laws.
But what’s missing from every report I’ve found, and so crucial to understanding this story, is that Anthony Bray is a repeat offender with a long rap sheet and numerous prison terms, several of which were for burglary, including a serial burglary. In 2011, Bray was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison after receiving “three strikes” for housebreaking. But his run-ins with the law date back to 1989, and he was in court numerous times during the 1990s.
It wasn’t reported in IGN, PC Gamer, Eurogamer or The Guardian or any other source I could find, all of which had fairly similar versions of this story with no relevant context, although PC Gamer did mention knife violence issues in the Midlands region (see more about that below).
These publications and numerous others describe him as a “Legend of Zelda fan”, although there is no evidence to support this. However, there is ample evidence that he is a repeat offender, responsible for numerous petty thefts and burglaries. The police probably know him well given his decades of criminal activity. The police probably weren’t thrilled to see someone with that history and reputation walking around brandishing a knife, even if it’s a Zelda replica.
The final wrinkle in this story is the very real problem of knife violence in the UK. Warwickshire is in the Midlands where knife violence is higher than any other area, even higher than London. In 2023 alone, there were 5,234 knife crimes in the region, including a number of murders. Perhaps it is through this lens that we should view the arrest and conviction of Anthony Bray.
If you’re looking for a good TV show set in the region, I have two recommendations: Absolutely amazing, devastating Happy Valley and not as good but still excellent A series of duties. Click on these links to see my reviews of each.