Deadly crossbows that fireside bolts at 410ft per second simple to get regardless of triple killing
Crossbow weapons that can wreak havoc in a only few short seconds by firing deadly aluminium bolts are available online, an investigation by the Daily Star can reveal
Deadly crossbows that can fire aluminium bolts which can tear through a human body in seconds are readily available online.
A Daily Star Sunday investigation found a range of weapons being sold with little to no checks on who is buying them. The findings come in the same week crossbow killer Kyle Clifford admitted the murders of sisters Louise Hunt, 25, Hannah Hunt, 28, and mum Carol, 61.
Carol, was stabbed to death and Hannah and Louise suffered fatal crossbow bolt injuries in Bushey, near Watford, on 9 July last year. Louise, a former partner of Clifford. and her sister and mother were the wife and daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt.
But months on our investigation has revealed that there are still no safety checks in place for people looking to buy similar weapons.
A string of online stores are selling similar crossbows to the one used by Clifford.
We found a EK Archery Torpedo Compound crossbow on sale on one site for £395.00, which fires 20 inch carbon bolts at 355 feet per second.
Another bow for sale is the £549.99 Barnett Explorer XP405 Compound, which could be bought on a “buy now, pay later” option.
The machine fires aluminium bolts at 410 feet per second.
Under UK law there are no criminal record checks and no licences required to buy these weapons.
Under the Crossbows Act 1987, it is legal to buy and sell crossbows, but under-18s may neither buy nor own one. It is also illegal for anyone under 21 to fire one without supervision.
But in our enquiries we were not asked once what we planned to use the weapon for, only told that we would have to prove our age upon arrival of the courier, who would have no idea what was being delivered.
UK law stipulates that crossbows cannot be used in a public or a private space without permission and anyone selling a crossbow to a minor could face up to six months in prison, while possessing the weapon in public could attract a sentence of up to four years in jail.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she would be look into whether crossbow laws needed tightening up in summer of last year, but at present nothing has been announced about a clampdown on ownership of the weapons.
A Home Office spokesperson said after the Watford killings: “We keep legislation under constant review and a call for evidence was launched earlier this year to look at whether further controls on crossbows should be introduced.
“The home secretary will swiftly consider the findings to see if laws need to be tightened further.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.