Chilling gun regulation warning as report factors to 39 murders utilizing authorized weapons
His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, Lee Freeman, has called on ministers to tackle an alarming ‘postcode lottery’ around firearm licensing – saying existing systems are not fit for purpose
New rules were brought in following the 2021 gun murders in Plymouth(Image: PA)
Chilling failures have led to a “postcode lottery” for members of the public seeking to legally own guns, an inspection report has ruled.
The independent police watchdog has warned the existing system is not fit for purpose with huge inconsistencies across England and Wales. A report by His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, Lee Freeman, said there had been at least 39 murders involving legally-owned weapons in a decade.
He warned that further tragedies should not be required before ministers take action. The report, published today, said poor guidance and supervision could be putting the public at risk and called for a new national firearms licensing authority. Calls for an overhaul have heightened since hate-filled misogynist Jake Davison shot and killed five people in Plymouth five years ago, including three-year-old Sophie Martyn and her dad Lee.
Davison was authorised to own the pump-action shotgun he used by Devon and Cornwall Police. In a sickening series of shootings in August 2021 he also murdered his own mother, Maxine, and passers-by Stephen Washington, 59 and Kate Shepherd, 66. Two others were injured before the killer turned the gun on himself.
New guidelines and rules for police were issued in the wake of the tragedy. But Mr Freeman said: “Most of the nearly 500,000 certificate holders use their firearms and shotguns responsibly for lawful recreation or as essential tools for work. But they are faced with a postcode lottery in the service they receive from firearms and explosive licensing units.
“They, and the wider public, deserve a system that is clear, consistent and robust. We found the current system is none of these things. This is not the first time the inspectorate and others have raised concerns about firearms licensing, and change is now overdue.
“A new national firearms licensing authority should be created to better protect public safety. Further tragedies shouldn’t be required before action is taken.”
The latest damning document comes more than a decade after His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) warned of weaknesses in the national firearms licensing system.
The report points to inconsistent practice and decision-making, and calls for the 38 firearms and explosive licensing units (FELUs) in England and Wales to be abolished and replaced by a national body.
The watchdog also warned too much guidance is open to interpretation, licensing laws are outdated and overly complex and training for decision makers is inconsistent and sometimes non-existant.
It also called for people who apply for firearm and shotgun licenses to undergo an in-person medical assessment and creating a digital verfication system to stop forged certificates being used to buy weapons.
Concerns have long been voiced about the licensing system. In 2023 Debbie Tedds, who led on the issue on the National Policing Council (NPCC) announced a national training programme would be introduced. This had been recommended by the Cullen Inquiry into the 1996 Dunblane massacre, but had not been implemented.
Sixteen children and a teacher were killed when a gunman opened fire opened fire at Dunblane Primary School in March 1996.
A Home Office spokesman said: “The UK has some of the toughest firearms laws in the world. We have taken significant steps in recent years to strengthen firearms licensing, including publication of robust statutory guidance for police, the introduction of mandatory medical checks, new national training for forces, and increases in firearms licensing fees.
“A number of recommendations in this report reflect work already underway. This includes a review of firearms licensing arrangements which is taking place as part of the Government’s wider police reform agenda.
“We will work closely with policing partners to consider the report and take forward any further action that may be required to strengthen firearms controls and keep the public safe.”
