What Preps are you doing this week

[Ian]

Sorry Ogre and Le Mouse, that stuff is still counted as an offensive weapon if you carry it to spray someone with it and as it discharges a substance can also be classed as a firearm, believe it or not.

"Section 5(1) (b) of the Firearms Act 1968 prohibits any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing."

Please get some independent, qualified advice (Not my hearsay) before you carry it in public to be sure

[the-gnole]

Sorry Ogre and Le Mouse, that stuff is still counted as an offensive weapon if you carry it to spray someone with it and as it discharges a substance can also be classed as a firearm, believe it or not.

"Section 5(1) (b) of the Firearms Act 1968 prohibits any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing."

Please get some independent, qualified advice (Not my hearsay) before you carry it in public to be sure

The information from their site

How it works...

Press to release and spray a red gel onto the attackers face, giving you vital seconds to escape and call the police. Farbgel will dye the assailants face and clothes for SEVERAL days.

Defend Yourself...
With crime on the rise, we are constantly having to look for alternative protection for ourselves and the family. Farb Gel is the 100% legal alternative to Pepper spray. Ideal For... Students, shop owners, travellers, joggers, taxi drivers, nurses and other health care workers, neighbourhood wardens, walkers, bikers, hikers and anyone who wants extra protection.
Farbgel the UK's No 1 selling self defence spray.
It does not contain any harmful chemicals and is non-toxic. The smallest and most discrete defence spray you will find, it is perfect to carry in your pocket, handbag, car. Can spray up to a distance of 4 metres. Size of can: 9cm high, 3cm diameter.
Does not contain any harmful chemicals and completely legal for Possession UK Farbgel is the UK's best selling self defence spray.

It may be just a selling ploy, but surely if it is illegal to use under firearms laws then it would be illegal to sell without a firearms certificate?

[the-gnole]

From Stoppared site

http://www.stoppared.com/page6.htm

The Forensic Science Service provide forensic services to the Police and other law enforcement bodies. In this field they use 3 classifications for self defence sprays;


Clayton, Dr T M
Forensic Science Service

6 November 2009

Dear Sir/Madam

I have asked our expert for clarification and he has replied as follows:

Section 5 (1) (b) of the Firearms Act 1968 states "any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing".

The Collins English Dictionary defines 'noxious' as 'poisonous or harmful'.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines 'noxious' as 'unpleasant and harmful'.

Generally, there are three categories of 'classification' relating to self-defence sprays (aerosol canisters or similar devices);

1. 'Prohibited Weapons' - These will contain chemicals that are recognised as irritants and as being noxious, such as 'CN' (alpha-chloroacetophenone), 'CS' (ortho-chlorobenzal malononitrile), PAVA (pelargonic acid vanillylamide, a synthetic capsaicinoid), etc., etc.

2. Non 'Prohibited Weapons' - These encompass (i) 'training' sprays, which may contain a pressurised water based solution, (ii) audible 'screeching' devices ('rape alarms') and (iii) 'dye' sprays containing an innocuous red, blue, yellow or green dye in a water based solution, some with a foaming agent. This latter type is designed to mark an assailant.

3. Where the status of certain canister types is uncertain with respect to the Firearms Act. These will include those devices that are dual purpose, such as the 'audible' type which are fitted with a secondary nozzle used to 'bathe' an assailant in a chemical which has an unpleasant smell (e.g. allyl sulphide type exhibiting a pungent garlic odour), albeit at low concentration.

For category 3 as described above, a 'test case' would have to be put before the courts to establish whether or not a particular device falls under the provisions of the Firearms Act, and would necessitate the considered opinions of experts in both the scientific and medical fields as to the nature and effects of the component(s)it contains.

From this answer, it is clear to me as a non-expert in this area, that it does not fall to the FSS to determine whether or not a spray/device contains a 'noxious' substance (however one defines that word in practice)and is therefore a prohibited weapon for the purposes of the Firearms Act 1968. The FSS may, however, be called on to analyse the contents of a spray or device to assist an investigation into whether a certain device is, in the eyes of the law, a prohibited weapon.

Yours Faithfully

Dr T.M.Clayton GDL, BVC
FOI, DPA and Disclosure Advisor
Legal Department
Forensic Science Service Ltd.

[diamond lil]

Either way if you get attacked then they asked for it, so who cares!

[the-gnole]

Either way if you get attacked then they asked for it, so who cares!

Well with the systems we have in place if this were discharged at a person it could be seen as an assault on them, and if you are carrying an offensive weapon then you are yourself commiting a criminal offence.

Sadly in the UK it is still illegal to carry weapons that could be used for both offensive and defensive purposes.

Basically it comes down to the current laws of the land, had this product been illegal to use and to carry and you discharged it at someone who might attack you then you have commited an offence, no ifs no buts, you then become the person commiting a crime.

Sad, yes it is, but that is the law of the land at the moment.

[diamond lil]

Well I guess ladies, its whichever is more important to us. Defending ourselves from attack, or staying strictly within the law. But if you're lying there raped and murdered then it would be a wee bit too late to argue it eh? Individual choice and its handy to know where to get this stuff, ty.

[itsybitsy]

Well I guess ladies, its whichever is more important to us. Defending ourselves from attack, or staying strictly within the law. But if you're lying there raped and murdered then it would be a wee bit too late to argue it eh? Individual choice and its handy to know where to get this stuff, ty.

I would spray first, and then ask questions later. In fact, I'm thinking of buying some!

[Le Mouse]

its handy to know where to get this stuff, ty.

It certainly is handy to know.

Maybe a small can of hairspray is the way to go if one is concerned about the legality.

[itsybitsy]

its handy to know where to get this stuff, ty.

It certainly is handy to know.

Maybe a small can of hairspray is the way to go if one is concerned about the legality.

And a disposable lighter...

[the-gnole]

I wouldn't say don't buy it Lil, because it is better to be tried by twelve than carried by six, but then you could debate that carrying anything illegal is OK as long as you only use it for defensive purposes, I like the thought of a sawn off 20gauge shotgun as my personal defensive means. Is that OK, I promise I'll only use it defensively.

Just be aware of the law and any consequences of carrying something that could get you into serious trouble when you least expect it.