A MAN and a woman from Blackburn have been charged with offences relating to the sale of so-called stealth weapons over the Internet and through mail order.

Mark Philip Hilliard, 39, and Linda Marie Hilton, 30, both of Sunnybower Road, Blackburn, trading as Spytech, each face 14 summonses, seven for offering offensive weapons for sale and seven, under the Knives Act of 1997, of selling a knife indicating or suggesting its suitability for combat.

The weapons named in the summonses include key knives, stealth knives, delta darts, slimline lipstick knives, stealth security brush and comb, covert action knives, CIA stealth knives, titanium credit card knives and OSS daggers.

It is alleged that some of the weapons were claimed to be invisible to airport security systems. The police operation is headed by officers from Heathrow Airport.

Solicitor David Griffiths, representing the couple at Blackburn magistrates, asked for the case to be adjourned so that he could consider disclosure of the evidence before advising his clients. The case was adjourned until March 21.