A passionate fan of The Legend of Zelda series found himself behind bars for publicly carrying a replica of the game’s iconic weapon. Anthony Bray, a 48-year-old resident of Nuneaton in Warwickshire, England, was sentenced to four months in prison after being caught with a six-inch Master Sword in the local town center.
Man carrying a 6 inch Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda, sentenced 4 months in prison PIC.TWITTER.COM/V6NBUCS5RL
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On June 8, Warwickshire Police saw Bray by CCTV walking down the street with something shiny in his hand. As he came closer to the officers, it became clear that Bray was hauling a replica of the Master Sword, that fabled weapon out of Nintendo’s timeless video game franchise. Though sheathed, the sword was too much for the officers to handle, and they immediately arrested Bray for carrying a bladed article in public.
Bray expressed that the Master Sword was just a “fidget” toy he had purchased on the internet to occupy his hands. But the police viewed the obliquely pointed piece as a tool capable of inflicting fear or harm. They said the sword tip could be released using a button even when locked in a sheath.
Bray explained in his interview that, though the Master Sword did look very intimidating to the others, he had no motive to use it as a weapon but to show it to his friends. But his explanations were rejected because the authorities said one couldn’t just carry that kind of stuff in public, for it was a severe offense and not to be taken lightly.
On 28 June, Bray finally reaped what he had sown in court. He was given a four-month prison term, incurring a victim surcharge of £154 by paying about $195. The sentence confirms the Warwickshire Police’s strong stance against bladed articles in public.
Sergeant Spellman of the Patrol Investigations Unit added his take on the case, “It’s all about public safety. He added:
“We take a zero-tolerance approach to bladed articles in public, and Bray has fallen afoul. It is possible to find fidget toys that don’t have six-inch blades. It is likely not to 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.”
Brays’s case is a reminder of things that can happen if people have potentially dangerous objects, even if they do not plan to bring about any harm. Well, to be sure, Master Sword will be a cherished relic to most fans of The Legend of Zelda, but severe legal trouble can be found in replicas of similar iconic items crossing over to the real world. As Bray serves his sentence, fans of the series might think twice before taking their love for the game to such literal extremes.
