'Follow the evidence' – West Midlands top cop joins call for ban on machete sales
Calls for a ban on the sale of machetes have been backed by the region's top police officer.
West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford said he was in favour of measures that would take deadly weapons off our streets.
He has urged members of the public to lobby local politicians over the issue of machete ownership, saying a sales ban would help reduce the number of appalling instances of knife crime in the region.
Mr Guildford told the Express & Star: "My take on it is you have got to follow the evidence, and ask yourself the question - we don't have that much jungle in the West Midlands to cut down with machetes do we?
"The lawful ownership position is one that I would put back to the public and say, please do all you can to influence your local MP and councillor.
"MPs make the laws, not chief constables. We enforce the law firmly and fairly. From my perspective, I am continually appalled by the levels of violence that take place on occasion where these types of weapons are used.
"That's violence between members of the public, as well as the offering of violence to police officers. I would very much support any measure which helps take some of these weapons off the streets."
His intervention comes after West Midlands Police Federation chair Richard Cooke called for an outright ban on the sale of machetes, saying they were increasingly a factor in serious violence on the region’s streets, including murders.
The move has been backed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman and local politicians including Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes, who has lobbied Policing Minister Chris Philp over a ban.
Last month Mr Philp announced a consultation on measures that would see the sale of machetes and other lethal blades banned, with the proposed legislation also making it illegal to posses such weapons in the home.
The sale of zombie knives was banned in 2016 following an Express & Star campaign, with possession punishable by up to four years in prison.
However, machetes – including those with serrated edges – can still be sold to anyone aged over 18 providing they don’t feature any obvious branding.
