Why isn't spiked fencing illegal?

[danot]

This is something that iv'e never quite understood, especially when taking into account the legislative guidelines on protecting our property which clearly state that we mustn't lay in wait, or prepare any form of trap that might cause injury to trespassers/intruders. Iv'e even seen it placed around school yards of all places. Isn't the primary function of a fence to keep people out, or am I overlooking something really really obvious?.

[HeadingNorth]

I don't think you could count spiked fencing as a trap, since the spikes are plain for all to see.

 

Fencing which appeared to have a solid surface, which collapsed into a spike when you put weight on it; that would probably be illegal.

[Dogs Of War]

Buying razor wire ETC is perfectly legal ,and there are plenty of place locally that sell it .

 

I have razor wire on the back of my garage ,as it backs onto the woods.

 

Melvyn Carr`s in Penistone sell good razor wire.

[Maxxy]

Next you'll be suggesting we leave our doors unlocked so the thieves don't hurt themselves breaking in.

[Bloomdido]

I saw places with glass set in cement when I lived in London. If the intended lacerator is inside the boundary of the property, it is legal as far as I understand, but to have it on the perimiter is not.

[rubydazzler]

There's a wall I often drive past down Attercliffe that still has the old broken bottle glass spikes cemented onto it. Looks lethal, but I suppose if you put something well enough padded across, you could still climb over it without hurting yourself.

[1960boy]

If you can see it, it is a deterrent,perfectly legal.If you cannot see it then it is a 'man-trap'..illegal.

[AJ sheffield]

There's a wall I often drive past down Attercliffe that still has the old broken bottle glass spikes cemented onto it. Looks lethal, but I suppose if you put something well enough padded across, you could still climb over it without hurting yourself.

 

Is it the one at the crossroads ?

[rubydazzler]

Is it the one at the crossroads ?

The one I was thinking of is down one of the side roads, but there's several others in the area.

[cgksheff]

Like many things, there is no simple answer.

 

There are Local Authority regulations that can prevent you from putting stuff on boundaries with public spaces.

They can ask you to remove the offending items and then take proceedings if you don't.

Those regulations can vary depending on what you want to put up and at what height.

 

The other thing that comes into this is Owners Liability which means that someone can take out a civil action against you if they damage themselves on your spikes etc.

The chances of them succeeding are greatly reduced by putting up warning notices which you will usually see at schools etc. which use razor wire etc.

 

Don't forget that little kiddies cannot be expected to read signs and so varying levels of proportionality come into play as well.