Images: Thames Valley Police

Builder Fights Off Samurai Sword Attack With Spirit Level

PUBLISHED 29 OCT 2026

A Level-Headed Response

A builder in Milton Keynes used an everyday DIY tool to help fend off a man armed with a samurai sword in a frightening incident captured on camera.

A man wielding a samurai sword was forced to flee after two members of the public confronted him, with one using a spirit level to help drive him away.

According to a report by The Metro, Aaron Messenbird, 32, was filmed swinging the sword and threatening members of the public in Milton Keynes on 30 July.

Messenbird approached a small group gathered beside a van, where he reportedly made threats and raised the weapon in a threatening manner.

One man attempted to wrestle the blade away from him to protect his friends. However, the intervention came at a serious cost, leaving the man with significant injuries to his hands, including tendon damage, as well as an injury to his ribs.

The confrontation continued when two other men rushed towards Messenbird. One of them was carrying a spirit level, using the construction tool to help confront the sword-wielding attacker.

Faced with the intervention, Messenbird fled the scene.

The incident did not end there. A short time later, he was reportedly seen walking along Silbury Boulevard, still carrying the sword.

Messenbird was arrested on 5 August and charged the following day.

PC Jordan Buchanan-Kay, of the Central Milton Keynes Neighbourhood Policing Team, described the incident as a violent and unprovoked attack. He said Messenbird had threatened members of the public with a potentially lethal weapon before assaulting a man who had stepped in to protect others.

The officer also highlighted the painful injuries suffered by the victim, including tendon damage to his hand.

An Unusual Weapon of Defence

For martial artists familiar with the history of Japanese swordsmanship, the incident offers a reminder that real-world confrontations rarely resemble choreographed demonstrations. Facing an armed attacker presents an immediate and potentially fatal danger, regardless of the improvised object used in response.

Source: This article is based on reporting by The Metro newspaper, including comments attributed to PC Jordan Buchanan-Kay of Thames Valley Police.