No-go on illegal knife possession in UK Published Jan. 6, 2016 By Staff Reports 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Did you know that it's illegal to carry knives in the UK? Carrying an illegal or banned knife in public can be punishable by up to four years in prison and a fine of £5,000 plus court costs. It is illegal to carry a knife with a blade longer than three inches in length or a lock knife regardless of length in public without a valid reason, and selling knives of any kind to individuals under the age of 18 is illegal. Note: Public places include personal vehicles. For example, possession of a knife in a courthouse, at a nightclub, or at a shopping center in the UK is prohibited. Valid reasons to carry knives include taking knives intended for work purposes directly to and from work, transporting knives to a gallery or museum to be included in an exhibition and carrying a knife used for theater, film, television, historical reenactment or religious purposes. A reference guide to the legalities of knives and offensive weapons in the UK can be found at this website: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sentencing_manual/knives_and_offensive_weapons/ For further guidance on the types of knives banned in the UK, please contact your local police department or the 48th Security Forces Squadron at 01638522333.