The Christmas tree, mops and rollerskate that turned into offensive weapons: Bizarre list of items that were used in violent crimes released by police force

  • Devon and Cornwall Police recorded 21,800 violent crimes in 2014-2015
  • Freedom of Information Act request revealed 10,866 resulted in injury
  • They recorded 101 knife crimes, 72 with a bottle and two with a hammer
  • But there were also many with odd weapons, including seven shoe attacks 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 19:33 EST, 22 July 2015 | Updated: 19:41 EST, 22 July 2015

Deadly weapon: The tree features on a list of bizarre items used in violent crimes released by police

Deadly weapon: The tree features on a list of bizarre items used in violent crimes released by police

A bizzare league table of weapons used in violent crimes has been released by police.

They include a Christmas tree, a pen, mops and spatulas as well as an apple, book, cup, rollerskate, spoon and a back scratcher.

Devon and Cornwall Police recorded more than 21,800 violent crimes in 2014-15.

Of these, there were 10,866 crimes recorded as violence with injury - of which police attended 5,651, a Freedom of Information request reveals

Of the 10,932 violent crimes without injury, police attended 4,208 of them.

The force has not said how the weapons were used or what injuries were caused.

There were 101 reports of knife crimes, 72 involving bottles and eight with a hammer.

But then the list reveals seven attacks with shoes, six with a walking stick, fived with motorbike helmets and four with vacuum cleaner hoses.

A gate was used in two attacks and then there were single incidents involving a back scratcher, a camera, handgun, roller skate, secateurs, sign, spirit level and a spoon.

A force spokesman said: 'Whilst these figures do throw up some unusual items, it's important to bear in mind that these are weapons that have been used in assaulting a person, or could have been used to an abusive partner in a domestic incident.'

Adam Fouracre, from Taunton, Somerset, has set up a charity called Stand Against Violence after his brother Lloyd was murdered in an attack by drunk yobs using a wooden parking sign in 2005 the day before his birthday.

Adam said: 'Anything can become a weapon. There are lots of campaigns on knife, youth and gang crime, but they should be making people more aware of the consequences of acting violently.

'Lloyd was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was beaten to death by drunken young men using a wooden parking sign and kicked and stamped on. His death was for no reason, it was pointless.'

In 2006 Jay Wall and Andrew Betty, from Taunton, were convicted of his murder and given life sentences.

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