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Gardener arrested over 'dagger' trowel on his belt Gardener 'given no choice' over trowel arrest caution
(about 1 hour later)
Samuel Rowe says he felt he had to accept a police caution because there was no solicitor availableSamuel Rowe says he felt he had to accept a police caution because there was no solicitor available
A man returning home from his allotment found himself surrounded by armed police – because of a gardening tool on his belt. A man who was cautioned for carrying a bladed trowel in public has said he was given no choice but to accept the reprimand because police were unable to contact a solicitor for him.
Samuel Rowe was wearing a Japanese bladed trowel in a sheath on his hip and carrying a trug of vegetables as he got back to his house in Chorlton, Manchester. Armed police were sent to challenge Samuel Rowe as he walked home from his allotment in Chorlton, Manchester, carrying the tool, a peeling knife and a sickle.
But as he was pruning his hedge, police arrived and Mr Rowe was handcuffed, arrested, and then put in a cell for 12 hours. The 35-year-old theatre manager said he was held for 12 hours, before being told he had to accept the caution without representation or face longer in custody.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said it had cautioned him for possessing a "dagger", but the 35-year-old theatre manager said he felt like he had no choice but to accept the reprimand so he could go home. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said Mr Rowe had admitted possessing a "dagger" and was given a conditional caution, which entailed advice about the law on the carrying of bladed weapons in public.
Handcuffed The keen gardener said he was terrified when the armed officers, who did not draw their weapons, arrived outside his home on 3 July.
Mr Rowe said he had been terrified when the armed officers – who did not draw their weapons – arrived outside his home on 3 July. He said the officers were shouting at him to "drop the knife".
He said they were "shouting at me to drop the knife". "I said I didn't have a knife and they told me to drop the knife again," he said.
"I said I didn't have a knife and they told me to drop the knife again.
"So I dropped my Japanese hand gardening sickle and a handful of privet that I just cut off the hedge."So I dropped my Japanese hand gardening sickle and a handful of privet that I just cut off the hedge.
"They turned me around, pushed me up against my house, handcuffed me, then put me in the back of a van," he said. "They turned me around, pushed me up against my house, handcuffed me, then put me in the back of a van."
Mr Rowe was carrying the trowel in its sheath on his gardening belt 'Out of sight'
Mr Rowe said he was then taken into custody where he was questioned by police. Mr Rowe said he was questioned by police while in custody and it "felt like they'd gone out that day expecting to catch some kind of lone wolf attacker".
"It felt like they'd gone out that day expecting to catch some kind of lone wolf attacker," he said. "I was doing nothing wrong," he said.
"I was doing nothing wrong...they treated me like I had been doing harm to people." "They treated me like I had been doing harm to people."
Mr Rowe was carrying a Japanese-made trowel in its sheath, a small Japanese gardener's sickle, and a peeling knife.Mr Rowe was carrying a Japanese-made trowel in its sheath, a small Japanese gardener's sickle, and a peeling knife.
He said the peeling knife was his late grandmother's, that he'd bought the sickle a decade ago, and that the trowel – which has a short blade and wooden handle – was a present. He said the peeling knife was his late grandmother's, the sickle had been purchased a decade ago and the trowel, which has a short blade and wooden handle, was a present.
Mr Rowe said he was not aware of any warnings about carrying the tools in public. He added that he had not been aware of any warnings about carrying the tools in public.
But since his arrest, one has appeared on the manufacturer's website. However, since his arrest, a warning has appeared on the trowel manufacturer's website.
It tells customers "to familiarise themselves with offensive weapons law before carrying the tool in public", adding: "We strongly advise that you keep this tool concealed, sheathed, and out of sight in public places – preferably in a gardening bag or toolbox rather than on your belt." It said customers needed "to familiarise themselves with offensive weapons law before carrying the tool in public".
'Large dagger' "We strongly advise that you keep this tool concealed, sheathed, and out of sight in public places – preferably in a gardening bag or toolbox rather than on your belt," it added.
Mr Rowe was carrying the trowel in its sheath on his gardening belt
Mr Rowe said he had gone without any legal representation while in custody because officers had been unable to contact a solicitor for him.Mr Rowe said he had gone without any legal representation while in custody because officers had been unable to contact a solicitor for him.
He accepted a conditional caution, but said he was now worried it could affect his job as a technical manager at a theatre, where he sometimes had to work with vulnerable young people. He said he accepted a conditional caution, but was now worried it could affect his job at a theatre, where he sometimes had to work with vulnerable young people.
Cautions are given to people on the basis that they admit an offence, but do not count as a criminal conviction.Cautions are given to people on the basis that they admit an offence, but do not count as a criminal conviction.
Some simple cautions are spent as soon as they are accepted, but others could be flagged up on standard and enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks. Some simple cautions are spent as soon as they are accepted, but others could be flagged up on standard and enhanced Disclosure Barring Service checks.
"I don't believe I committed a crime," he said, adding he was worried the caution could affect future employment opportunities, and calling for it to be rescinded. Mr Rowe said he did not believe he had "committed a crime" and called for his caution to be rescinded.
He added that he understood the police had a job to do but was now scared to continue with what had been a lifelong hobby.He added that he understood the police had a job to do but was now scared to continue with what had been a lifelong hobby.
GMP said officers were responding to a call that they had seen a man with a knife. GMP said officers were responding to a call that a man had been seen with a knife.
"He was subsequently stopped and a small sickle, a large dagger which was in a sheath on a belt, and a peeling knife, were seized," the force said."He was subsequently stopped and a small sickle, a large dagger which was in a sheath on a belt, and a peeling knife, were seized," the force said.
"He admitted the offence and was given a conditional caution, which entailed advice and guidance around the legislation of knives and bladed weapons in a public place.""He admitted the offence and was given a conditional caution, which entailed advice and guidance around the legislation of knives and bladed weapons in a public place."
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.