Search
11 Dec 2025
Search
11 Dec 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Devon and Cornwall Police headquarters in Exeter. Credit: Google Maps
Police forces across England and Wales, including Devon & Cornwall Police, are taking part in a government-led scheme throughout July to remove Ninja swords from the streets.
From 1 August 2025, it will be illegal to own Ninja-style swords unless a specific legal defence applies.
The month-long surrender and compensation scheme encourages owners to hand in these weapons at local police stations. In some cases, those who lawfully own Ninja swords may be eligible to claim compensation if they surrender their swords during July.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Fleetwood, Force lead for Knife Crime at Devon & Cornwall Police, said: “Knife crime is not a major issue in our region, however we take it very seriously and will continue to educate the public and aim to remove knife crime from the streets.
“Possession of banned weapons, even if just in a drawer or attic at home, can mean a prison sentence of more than four years.
“We urge anyone who owns a Ninja sword, or any other knife, to surrender it at one of our knife bins, which can be found across the region at our Police Enquiry Offices.
“We need to continue to work together to prevent and reduce knife crime and keep our communities safe.”
To be eligible for compensation, owners must have possessed the sword lawfully on or before 25 March 2025 and provide proof of ownership, such as an invoice or receipt.
The compensation claim must be submitted during the surrender period from 1 to 31 July 2025.
After the surrender period ends, possession of Ninja swords will become prohibited.
While people can still surrender swords at police stations, compensation will no longer be available.
Knife surrender bins are now permanently located at local police stations across Devon and Cornwall, providing a safe and discreet way for the public to hand in knives and other weapons at any time.
More information about knife surrender bin locations can be found on the Devon & Cornwall Police website: dc.police.uk/peo.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
