Stopped by the old bill tonight on my way home, he said I was speeding but he couldn't prove it 🙂 He then accused me of having an offensive weapon because I had a copper and hide mallet in the footwell of the car. I told him it was for knocking tent pegs in but he said I was committing an offense and had to remove it. Anyone else had a similar experience?

i have a knife I use at work for splitting pallet tape and trimming up various things. I was using it to cut some wrap on a pallet outside the shop one day, and one of those community support oficers decided they would waste my time by telling me where I could and could not use it. My boss saw us and politely told them to cock off and come back when I stab someone!

What was it for really?

But you may also have used it for knocking sense in to jobsworths.

I can't remember why it was there but it was totally innocent. He even asked me about my steering wheel lock (which does a much better job than any hammer) and I said I can't leave that in the shed can I? He was a bit odd really, quite angry but he could have done me and never bothered. Think he was gutted that i'd slowed down before he got a fix on me.

Yeh something similar happened to me.

I was at home spraying algae off my drive with my Mac 10 9mm and some community support officer tried to do me for it. Needless to say, I told them to cock off

which does a much better job than any hammer

You seem well up on your 'unconventional offensive weapons' mate.

…….. and what do you mean "I can't remember why it was there " ? Have you actually got a tent ?

I was at home spraying algae off my drive with my Mac 10 9mm

An excellent algae removal tool indeed!! I hope he did cock off.

and what do you mean "I can't remember why it was there " ? Have you actually got a tent ?

yeah I have and had been camping with the kids about a month ago. My family car is always messy and i don't know half whats in it. Got a clip on mud guard on back seat but he never mentioned that 😀

an offensive weapon is….. any article, made, adapted or intended for the purpose of causing injury to another.
he could have arrested you on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon. he would then have had to try and prove his case, mainly by interviewing you. he would have struggled to prove possession if you said you didn't know it was there. he would have struggled to prove offensive weapon if it was for anything other than causing somebody an injury.
the officer has to prove his case, you wouldn't have to prove your innocence. highly unlikely that there would any evidence to charge you with any offence and he knew it so he didn't waste any more time on it.

When I was younger I was actually arrested for having a jack handle in the car, even though the jack was there with it.

I was interviewed and cautioned, what a waste of time.

Seems like a Running trend with community support officers going on a power trip, Had one nearly knock me off my bike t'other day she just pulled out in front of me outside her childminders house not 200M from my front door. Any how she stopped and started to give me a lecture about being on a black bike and wearing black Blah blah (i'm guessing showing off to people around) But the look on her face was priceless when i pointed out that Even if I was Lit up light a Xmas tree and wearing flouresant clothing She would have still pulled out infront of me nearly knocking me off because she didn't look for any on coming traffic,

My van is full of very nasty tools…… Hammer?? pffftt

How's about this here Paslode gun officer?? or these razor sharp chisels.

Honestly some coppers really are nob heads, surely they have better things to be doing like bothering chavs or something.

in circumstances such as these it is possibly worth making an arrest if the person is a known active criminal. this is purely a disruptive tactic that is not going to amount to anything. otherwise it is a complete waste of time and i personally wouldn't even bother bluffing that i could do you for it. (ex police, left because its a waste of my time;-)