UK UK - Penny Bell, 43, Ealing, London, 6 June 1991

[Professor Moriarty]

I'm possibly clutching at straws, but could gloves have protected the killer's hand if he used a non lock blade?

I don't think a non-locking pocket knife would have been suitable. If you are using force to stab that many times the blade would keep shutting and, wearing gloves, you would have difficulty opening it again each time.

 

[tes1984]

I don't think a non-locking pocket knife would have been suitable. If you are using force to stab that many times the blade would keep shutting and, wearing gloves, you would have difficulty opening it again each time.

Some of the bigger (and illegal to carry) Swiss Army knives had buttons to lock the blade.

Penny was stabbed with a four inch blade, which seems about the right size for a large Swiss Army knife.. or a small locking knife, or small kitchen knife...

 

[Professor Moriarty]

Some of the bigger (and illegal to carry) Swiss Army knives had buttons to lock the blade.

Penny was stabbed with a four inch blade, which seems about the right size for a large Swiss Army knife.. or a small locking knife, or small kitchen knife...

Yes. The bigger Swiss Army Knives. (The blade locks automatically on opening; the button is to release the blade for closing.) Locking knives are illegal to carry, but many only have that locking blade (ie they don't have bottle openers, scissors etc) and so are quite slim.

Although flick knives have been illegal for years, there are many in circulation. Airport security sometimes pick them up in the luggage of people returning from overseas. Some must get through.

 

[tes1984]

I could easily see someone like JR carrying a knife in 1991.

He was a criminal, but in his late 40s and wasn't likely to be stopped and searched by police.

 

[davidt]

Weee lockable knives banned by 1991?

 

[Professor Moriarty]

I think so: Criminal Justice Act 1988.

 

[davidt]

I think so: Criminal Justice Act 1988.

I probably need to read the legislation but I wonder exactly what that covered and what exemptions or exceptions there may have been? Growing up from a farming background and living rurally I always had a pocket knife of some sort or another. Just about everyone else did as well. I know I bought some long after 1991 where the blade locked in to place. I've also got one or two garden "multi tools" that include a blade that locks in place. Again I wonder if perhaps those aren't covered? In any event if the legislation was introduced in 1988 there will still have been large numbers in circulation in 1991. I doubt too many threw away what they already had.