Cowboy spared jail for knife-throwing antics

A knife-slinging Danish cowboy has been spared jail after failing to read the small print on his weapon’s licence.

The Western High Court found Martin Boas Dahl from Funen guilty of contravening weapons laws when he performed at the Blafjord Country Festival last year dressed in full cowboy gear, complete with a knife in his belt.

Mr Dahl had applied for, and received, a weapons licence before embarking on his knife-throwing routine, but failed to notice that the blade was only permitted to be kept at home for decorative purposes.

A lower court found Mr Dahl guilty of carrying a knife and sentenced him to a seven-day stint behind bars. However, the High Court this week upheld the guilty verdict but overruled the week-long jail term.

Denmark’s strict weapons laws were first introduced in 2008 in a bid to quell the country’s growing knife crime problem.