'Merlin' Tried for Shopping With Sword

[Seraphim]

PORTSTMOUTH, England - "Merlin" appeared in court Tuesday, resplendent in his druid robes and defended by King Arthur Pendragon, but without the 3-foot sword which caused alarm in a local shop.



Merlin Michael Williams, 26, of Westbourne, England, was arrested last week after carrying his spell-casting weapon while shopping at a store in Portsmouth. The sword was confiscated as evidence.

Williams presented himself at Portsmouth Magistrates draped in a green robe and blue cloak.

Pendragon, who addressed the court in a white robe with a red lion print, was joined by a dozen other members of the Insular Order of the Druids, who filled the public gallery.

Williams argued precedent, explaining previous cases heard by the court had allowed druids the right to carry ceremonial swords, which are used to cast spells and create circles of safety.

The case was adjourned for a month to give prosecutor Colin Shackel time to examine precedents.

"It is accepted by the crown this was sheathed and there was no offensive action by the defendant," Shackel said. "The issue is whether this is an offensive weapon per se."

Williams remained free on bail.

The Insular Order of the Druids was founded in 1993 at Stonehenge and is one of at least eight self-styled druid groups in the Britain.

[memphiz]

Damn Gaz :P

[mocking_loudly_died]

Loony Brits. rofl

[Abolith]

I gotts say that Stonehenge is pimp and all but these "Druids" carry this stuff a wee bit too far. Remands me of someone who has playing D&D for too long....

[perdurabo]

onece i went to shop with spear in my hand nothing happened my friends XVII cent reenactors had flintlock rifles on train station policeman come to them and asked if he can join their brotherhood
its litle bit looney to walk in outfits on streets but hey free country and basicly sword to be a wepon must be sharp! if it isnt it isnt a sword! its just a bar of metal shaped sword alike! :lol:

[Tranceaddict]

I've walked into a BK with full BDUs, Assault Vests, Mags, flexcuffs, glowsticks and all. The AEG and GBBs were left in the trunk of course. But when 4 of us walked in, they looked at us like "WTF???" funniest thing ever.

"um yeah, I'd like a liter of cola"

[Beowulf]

I've walked into a BK with full BDUs, Assault Vests, Mags, flexcuffs, glowsticks and all. The AEG and GBBs were left in the trunk of course. But when 4 of us walked in, they looked at us like "WTF???" funniest thing ever.

"um yeah, I'd like a liter of cola"

guess the drive through wasn't "high speed" enough.

[Midtown]

I've walked into a BK with full BDUs, Assault Vests, Mags, flexcuffs, glowsticks and all. The AEG and GBBs were left in the trunk of course. But when 4 of us walked in, they looked at us like "WTF???" funniest thing ever.

"um yeah, I'd like a liter of cola"

Hell ya! My whole team always did that after airsoft, picture like 20 guys in full gear going into mcdonalds, man those worker chicks wanted our poser balls.

[Bombtrack]

In Canada weapon magazines are illegal weapons, going into a restaurant with some could get you in a spot of trouble

[Bombtrack]

More roleplaying geeks: http://content.collegehumor.com/media/movies/danddnerds.wmv

[Napalm Nymph]

Loony Brits. rofl

Coming from the celtic lands, we are used to people like this, we have guys called Gandalf and Merlin who run a local shop, and witches, druids the lot. Even a guy who insists he is King Arthur.... always running around asking if anyones seen excalibur !!!!!! :lol:

And yes we are all mad!!!! we have to be to live on this silly little island with its silly rules and regulations....

[Herrmannek]

onece i went to shop with spear in my hand nothing happened my friends XVII cent reenactors had flintlock rifles on train station policeman come to them and asked if he can join their brotherhood
its litle bit looney to walk in outfits on streets but hey free country and basicly sword to be a wepon must be sharp! if it isnt it isnt a sword! its just a bar of metal shaped sword alike! :lol:

Sword isn't wepon here unless you intentionaly swing it in front of face of human who didn't ask you to do that...

[Tranceaddict]

More roleplaying geeks: http://content.collegehumor.com/media/movies/danddnerds.wmv

"LIGHTNINGBOLT! LIGHTNINGBOLT! LIGHTNINGBOLT! "

rofl MY LORD, I HATH PEED MYSELF

[Mark Sman]

WTF was that?

The gene pool needs skimming again.

[Durandal]

Hell ya! My whole team always did that after airsoft, picture like 20 guys in full gear going into mcdonalds, man those worker chicks wanted our poser balls.

Lucky you did not spend a couple hours talking with your local LE officials...

We had a Halloween party here in Cincinnati (Covington, KY actually) and we had fiver cruisers and cops with Sigs and Glocks drawn on two guys with airsoft gear (all SWAT'd out).

Turns out, they had escorted one of our female attendees back to her car and someone had called the cops. Five minutes later my friends nearly got shot.

Freak'N nuts.

So be careful when you do crap like this.

[Beowulf]

Hell ya! My whole team always did that after airsoft, picture like 20 guys in full gear going into mcdonalds, man those worker chicks wanted our poser balls.

Lucky you did not spend a couple hours talking with your local LE officials...

We had a Halloween party here in Cincinnati (Covington, KY actually) and we had fiver cruisers and cops with Sigs and Glocks drawn on two guys with airsoft gear (all SWAT'd out).

Turns out, they had escorted one of our female attendees back to her car and someone had called the cops. Five minutes later my friends nearly got shot.

Freak'N nuts.

So be careful when you do crap like this.

"What is an Oprah?"