UK Man Jailed for Carrying Master Sword in Public

In The Legend of Zelda franchise, no one thinks twice about Link waltzing around all of Hyrule with the Master Sword in hand, even as he uses it to break pots that clearly belong to other people. However, a man in Nuneaton, England has been sentenced to four months in prison after walking around Queens Road and Nuneaten town centre with a replica of the Master Sword in hand. The replica is actually a small one, just six inches in length, but laws in the U.K. prohibit people from publicly carrying a blade longer than three inches. 

The man, identified by the Warwickshire Police as Anthony Bray, was apparently “carrying it openly” when officers first noticed him on CCTV. The replica had a sheath that could be removed by pressing a button, and Bray claims that he was using the Master Sword as a fidget toy. However, police argue that the sword could have easily been used as a weapon, or “put others in fear of it being used against them.” On top of the prison time, Bray will be forced to pay a victims’ surcharge of £154 (which is roughly about $196 in U.S. currency). 

“We take a zero tolerance to bladed articles in public, and Bray has fallen afoul of this,” said Sgt Spellman of the Patrol Investigations Unit. “It is possible to find fidget toys that aren’t six-inch blades. It is possible 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.”

The Master Sword is one of the most iconic weapons in all of video game history, and there have been countless replicas made of it through the years. Licensed companies like Jakks Pacific and Proplica have offered takes on the Master Sword, but fan made versions can easily be found on platforms like Etsy and eBay. It’s unclear if the replica Bray was holding was an officially licensed item from Nintendo, or something that was fan made. Either way, those that purchase replica swords and weapons should be careful how they use them, and have an awareness of the local laws. 

Have you ever purchased a replica of a video game weapon? Are you surprised that this resulted in four months in prison? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Wario64]