Oxford man believed to be first charged under new zombie knife ban

Thames Valley Police say they believe a man from Oxford is the first to be charged under new legislation that bans zombie knives.

From midnight on Tuesday 24th September it became illegal to have a machete or so called zombie knife, which are weapons with blades over eight inches in length, normally with a serrated cutting edge.

Following an investigation by Thames Valley Police, a man has been charged with knife offences and affray in Oxford.

Kofie John-Welch, aged 29, of Druce Way, Oxford, has been charged with threatening a person with a bladed article, affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

The charges are in connection with an incident on 29 August this year.

Following a search of a property in the early hours of Tuesday, just over 20 minutes into the ban, officers located a Zombie-style knife.

Police say John-Welch remains in police custody and will appear before Oxford Magistrates Court on Wednesday 25 September.

The new ban follows a four-week amnesty scheme where owners were encouraged to hand the weapons into police, local authorities or knife crime charities.

It is part of efforts to reduce knife crime, with campaigners including actor Idris Elba pushing for the large blades to be outlawed.

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