United Kingdom
Much UK Gun Crime Unreported, Reasons for Gun Ownership Neglected
Press Association (UK)
29 June 2008
Much of the gun crime on Britain's streets goes unreported, it is claimed. A study of data on firearms-related offences by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS) said many victims were reluctant to alert police. Crimes missing from the official statistics may even include incidents where guns were fired, but which did not lead to injuries, the paper said. The CCJS, which is based at King's College, London,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Overall UK Gun Crime Falling, Violence Has 'Direct Correlation' to Poverty
BBC News
29 June 2008
Policies on gun crime are flawed because ministers overlook its root causes -- poverty and inequality, a report by criminologists claims. There is "no compelling evidence" that enforcement strategies would cut firearms-related offending, the King's College London researchers warned. The study authors said much gun crime was probably unreported because people were scared of calling the police. The Home Office said... ( gunpolicy.org )
Germany, Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa
Gun Laws in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, UK, Australia, South Africa
Associated Press
26 June 2008
GERMANY: Requires license to obtain and use firearms and stipulates a check on the "reliability and suitability" of holders at least once every three years. Under-25s must undergo psychological screening. Buyers must justify why they need a gun. Would-be buyers of recreational firearms must produce proof of regular membership in shooting club for at least one year. Legal age for owning recreational firearms is 21. That... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Dad Tips Off Police, Son Gets 3yrs' Jail for Illegal Gun Possession
BBC News
20 June 2008
A teenager has been jailed for three years after his father told police he had found bullets in his son's bedroom. Paul Metcalfe's father discovered 11 bullets in the room and called police -- who also found a handgun under the bed. The 19-year-old, of Hibson Road in Nelson, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon and the ammunition at Burnley Crown Court. His father Neil Metcalfe, 43, said he had... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Man Kills Two Adult Daughters, His Wife, Then Himself in Finland
Associated Press
15 June 2008
HELSINKI, Finland -- An 88-year-old man on Sunday killed his two disabled adult daughters and shot his bedridden wife before turning the gun on himself in northern Finland, police said. The man's wife, also in her 80s, later died at a hospital, police said. The mentally handicapped daughters, both in their 50s, died immediately from gunshot wounds at home in Ylitornio, about 500 miles north of the capital, Helsinki, police... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
English Police Officer Shot Dead During Training Exercise in Manchester
Telegraph (UK)
9 June 2008
A police officer has accidentally been shot dead by a colleague during a training exercise in Manchester. Pc Ian Terry, 32, was struck in the chest as he and other members of the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) firearms unit practised in a disused factory on Monday. GMP said Pc Terry was taking part in a "reasonably routine" tactical manoeuvres exercise when a weapon being held by one of his colleagues was fired. As... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
English Publican Gets 3 Years' Jail for Sawn-off Shotgun Beside His Bed
BBC News
9 June 2008
A pub landlord has been jailed for three years for keeping a sawn-off shotgun by his Carlisle bedside. Armed police swooped on Michael Charlton's home in Richmond Green, following a tip-off in March. He told officers he needed the weapon to defend himself after a masked gang had raided his house in 2002. The 44-year-old, who until arrest ran the Golden Lion in Botchergate, was jailed at Carlisle Crown Court after... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
London Youth Rally Protests Recent Knife, Gun Violence in Britain
BBC News
7 June 2008
At least 2,000 people, including many teenagers, have joined an anti-gun and knife crime march through London. The demonstrators began their walk from Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon which culminated in a rally at Kennington Park, south London. The march, which urged youths to keep off weapons, comes following the deaths of 16 teenagers in London this year. Relatives of youths killed in London also joined... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Airguns to Be Included in Finland's Gun Law, Owner Licensing Update
YLE News (Finland)
6 June 2008
New rules governing the sale of air guns are being planned by the Ministry of the Interior. A licence would be needed for a type of air rifle, the fire power of which is equivalent to that of a small-bore rifle. The newspaper Turun Sanomat reports the Ministry is worried about the proliferation of small arms. The calibre of larger guns on sale is nine millimetres, which is equivalent to that of arms carried by... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Campaigner Against Gun Violence Stabbed to Death: Grandson Arrested
BBC News
2 June 2008
The grandson of prominent anti-gun campaigner Pat Regan has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing her to death. Mrs Regan, 53, was discovered at the property on Marlborough Grange in the Hyde Park area of Leeds on Sunday. The mother-of-six started campaigning against gun crime when her son Danny was shot dead in 2002. The 20-year-old man was being held on suspicion of murder, police said. It is thought he had... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Fewer Gun Owners Now Own More Sporting Long Guns in Scotland
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
28 May 2008
The increasing popularity of deer stalking is behind a significant rise in the number of legally-held guns in Scotland, it emerged last night. Figures released by the Scottish Government showed the number of such firearms has reached a ten-year high. There are now 66,893 firearms held by 26,056 people and a further 133,940 shotguns held by 49,213 people. The statistics showed that the number of people owning guns had gone... ( gunpolicy.org )
Croatia, Sweden
57 Firearms, Explosives Seized from Croatia-to-Sweden Gun Running Gang
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring Service / HINA, Transcript
25 May 2008
Zagreb police cracked down on a ring of arms producers and smugglers, and charged nine persons with having specialised in producing arms and explosives and smuggling them to western Europe, notably Sweden, the head of the Zagreb police, Marijan Tomurad, said at a news conference on Saturday. He stressed that the arms and bombs had been intended for clashed among underworld crime gangs and that the arms smugglers had no connections... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Britain Launches New Push Against Youth Gun Crime, Armed Violence
Guardian (UK)
22 May 2008
The government today began a new push against gun and knife gang crime. The initiative is intended to halt the increase in the number of people being killed in violent attacks throughout Britain. Addressing a conference in Birmingham, the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, said £5m would be committed to tackle gun and knife crime, while witnesses would be offered anonymity to encourage them to come forward. Smith called... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gang of 7 Converted, Sold Hundreds of Illegal Guns to Criminals Across UK
BBC News
22 May 2008
A 29-year-old man from Manchester has been found guilty of being involved in what is believed to the UK's biggest ever gun conspiracy. Kaleem Akhtar was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He supplied an "assassin's armoury" of handguns, and ammunition to gangsters across the UK, the court was told. Akhtar, of Chorlton, will be sentenced,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gun Injury Halved, Gun Crime Down as UK Cities Adopt Gang Violence Plan
Press Association (UK)
21 May 2008
An action plan targeting gun and gang violence in four of Britain's major cities has halved the number of firearms-related injuries, according to the Home Office. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the Tackling Gangs Action Programme saw a 51% fall in gun injuries from 93 in October to 46 in February. There was also a 27% decrease in the overall number of gun offences in the four areas -- London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Soldiers Said Smuggling Pistols, Assault Weapons, Renting to Criminals
BBC News
16 May 2008
Some British army weapons are finding their way into the hands of criminal gangs -- and a former Royal Military Police investigator believes they may be ill-equipped to stop it. Mark is in his 30s and he says he now lives a quiet life. But in the 1990s, he had links with criminal gangs in Manchester. He claims to have bought hundreds of guns to hire out to his associates for use in serious crime, and they would often come... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Barrister Shot by Police in Central London Was Licensed Shotgun Owner
Telegraph (UK)
11 May 2008
Mark Saunders passed stringent checks on his suitability to own guns -- including investigations into his mental health -- before being issued with a shotgun licence. The Metropolitan Police require all applicants for licences to give permission for mental health checks to be made with their GP. The fact that Mr Saunders was visited by a gun licensing officer after he moved to his flat in Markham Square last September suggests... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Lawyer, Licensed Gun Owner Shot Dead in Central London Police Seige
Independent (UK)
7 May 2008
A gun recovered from yesterday's siege in Chelsea was "lawfully held" by the gunman shot dead at the scene, a police watchdog said today. The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it was too early to say if the man who was shot dead after a five-hour stand-off with police had been killed by police bullets. Earlier it was revealed that the man was a practising barrister, named locally as Mark Saunders, 32. Mr... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Scotland Mounts Breakaway Gun Summit, Demands Tougher Airgun Law
BBC News
7 May 2008
A summit meeting to discuss Scotland's gun laws has ended with calls for Westminster to take action to deal with the problem of air weapons in Scotland. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said he would be writing to the home secretary pressing for a tightening of the law. Members of the police, gun control lobby and sport-shooting groups attended the Edinburgh meeting. Mr MacAskill described the current law as "inadequate".... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Under Pressure from Pistol Shooters, UK Plans to Loosen Handgun Ban
Scotland on Sunday
4 May 2008
Anti-gun campaigners have warned the Government not to relax firearms legislation in the run-up to the London Olympics, saying: "A child's life is not worth a medal." UK and Scottish ministers have agreed that from August, sportsmen and women will be given special permission to use their weapons at Ministry of Defence ranges in Britain. At present, competitors have to train abroad. It is a major breakthrough for British... ( gunpolicy.org )
World, United States, France, Canada, Germany, Angola, Thailand, Australia, Colombia, South Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Brazil, United Kingdom, India, China
Guns Around the World: Civilian Firearms per 100 People in 16 Nations
Economist
30 April 2008
An estimated 875m small arms are in circulation worldwide: one for every seven people on the planet. Nearly three-quarters of these are owned by civilians. And about 80% of those guns in civilian hands are found in just 30 countries, according to the Small Arms Survey, a research group. Although America accounts for 40% of firearms in civilian ownership, people put them to more deadly use elsewhere. The gun murder rate in Colombia... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe
Guns 'Commonly' Smuggled in UK Army Vehicles Crossing Europe from Iraq
BBC News
25 April 2008
Two former soldiers who were jailed for their involvement in a gun smuggling ring have said the practice is common in the British army. Shane Pleasant and Ben Whitfield were in the Third Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment, when they helped to smuggle weapons from Iraq into Europe. They said if soldiers had the right contacts it was easy to smuggle weapons out of countries. The MoD said there was no evidence such... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Zambia, United Kingdom, Canada, China, World
Chinese Gun Shipment to Zimbabwe Shines Spotlight on Global Gun Trade
Toronto Star (Ontario)
24 April 2008
When the Chinese freighter An Yue Jiang pulled into the South African port of Durban last week loaded with weapons bound for crisis-ridden Zimbabwe, it seemed to be just one more day in the lucrative arms trade that has engulfed the continent with deadly results. Instead the ship ran into a storm of protest -- with dock workers joining union leaders, church officials and the High Court to block the shipment -- until the vessel left... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Report on Finland's Campus Mass Shooting Sees Little Hope of Prevention
International Herald Tribune
17 April 2008
TUUSULA, Finland -- Five months after an 18-year-old student killed eight people at a Finnish school before turning the gun on himself, authorities say they can do little to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. A police investigation that wrapped up on Thursday concluded 18-year-old gunman Pekka-Eric Auvinen acted alone in the November 7 shooting. In the days and hours before the massacre the teenager posted messages detailing... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Safety Record of Grand Old British Shooting Club Marred by Gun Suicide
Woking News and Mail (UK)
16 April 2008
A man found dead at a shooting centre is believed to have shot himself in the head. The grim discovery was made by staff at the shotgun ranges of Bisley's National Rifle Association. Centre director Jeremy Staples said: "Unfortunately a male was found close to the shot gun ranges last Monday. It appeared that he had self-inflicted shotgun injuries. "The site was closed as there is no shooting on Monday. We immediately... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Kingdom
Charlton Heston's Pro-gun Views Were Liberal, Supported Human Freedom
Times (UK), Column
8 April 2008
Charlton Heston's obituarists worry that his acting career might be "overshadowed" by his controversial stance against gun control. Let's hope so. Most of Heston's movie roles were as stiff as his chiselled jaw. But his rock-like defence of the right to bear arms was worthy of an award. I say this not as a right-wing Republican, but as a Brit of the Left. Hollywood liberals demonised the man who was Moses for his pro-gun views.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Gun Control Group Deplores Sale of 'Bullet Proof' Hoodies to Youth
United Press International
5 April 2008
A London company is defending its invention of a bullet-proof hoodie from criticism from anti-gun groups. Barry Samms, owner of Bladerunner, said the product is designed to protect people from violent attacks, The Times of London reported Friday. "Our current customers range from undercover police officers to concerned parents," he said. Some gun control advocates said the product, which is scheduled to go on sale... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Many UK Judges Ignore Minimum 5yrs' Jail for Gun Crime - Police Chief
Times (UK)
25 March 2008
The fight against gun crime is being undermined by judges who fail to ensure that tough penalties set down in law are imposed in the courts, a senior police chief has told The Times. Bernard Hogan-Howe, Chief Constable of Merseyside, said last night that the mandatory five-year minimum sentence for possession of a firearm was being ignored by some members of the judiciary. Mr Hogan-Howe, whose force is investigating the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Why UK Judges Find Ways to Ignore the Law in Gun Crime Sentences
Times (UK)
25 March 2008
Passing sentence in the case of the death of Kamilah Peniston, Mr Justice Holland condemned Britain's gang-gun culture. "At the heart of this case is the status of handguns in parts of our society," the judge said. "A handgun in circulation gives the holder a spurious self-confidence and a perverted self-respect, the status of the armed man." The judge, sitting at Manchester Crown Court in October, then passed a sentence... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, England & Wales
'Chaos, Gross Incompetence' Found in North Wales Police Gun Destruction
BBC News
19 March 2008
Serious failings in the handling of weapons given to North Wales Police by the public for safe disposal have been highlighted in an internal report. It said it was impossible to determine how many weapons had been destroyed and that there is no national policy on how the police should handle such weapons. The BBC has seen details of the report which was completed last year. The force said it regretted poor record... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gun Injuries Increase as Armed UK Police Shoot Themselves, Colleagues
Daily Mail (UK)
16 March 2008
The number of armed police officers accidentally shooting themselves -- and other colleagues -- has soared in the past five years. Now, nearly half of all injuries caused by police shootings are the result of officers blasting themselves or a colleague, often during bungled training and demonstrations. Since 2003, there have been seven incidents in which armed police injured themselves or a fellow officer due to the careless... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Scots Police Destroy 'Huge Cache' of Confiscated Firearms, Imitation Guns
BBC News
14 March 2008
Firearms surrendered to the police are being destroyed in an operation taking place in Edinburgh. About 800 weapons have been handed over to Lothian and Borders Police over the past six months. The cache includes shotguns, air weapons, replica guns and other imitation weapons. Friday's operation will see the guns destroyed using specialist cutting equipment before being taken away for disposal. Assistant... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall's Armed Police Guard Shoots Himself Dead
Daily Express (UK)
11 March 2008
The Duchess of Cornwall was said to be "deeply upset" yesterday after one of her police bodyguards apparently committed suicide at his home. Sergeant Richard Fuller, 55, head of security at Camilla's country mansion in Wiltshire, is believed to have blasted himself to death with a shotgun. The officer, who was married with three children, was a popular member of the force and was highly regarded by the Duchess and her staff.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Gun Crime Falling, Gun Homicides Slowly Rising, New Database Coming
BBC News
10 March 2008
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is launching the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) to help the fight against gun crime. But what is it and how will it work? Official figures suggest gun crime has been falling, but firearm killings showed a slight rise in the most recent Home Office statistics and the government has pledged to tackle the problem. "We are determined not to let violent offenders get away with wrecking... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
'Matter of Time' Before British Bobby Must Shoot Child Holding Imitation Gun
Telegraph (UK)
6 March 2008
The spiralling use of guns among children means it is only a matter of time before an armed officer is faced with shooting a child, the head of a Home Office task force has warned. The number of young people prosecuted for firearms offences has risen by more than 20 per cent in the past five years -- and children as young as eight have been found carrying weapons. Jon Murphy, the head of the gun crime task force at the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Arsenal of Illegal Guns Sees 'Deceitful' Head Teacher Jailed, Struck Off in UK
BBC News
5 March 2008
A former primary school head teacher has been struck off after a disciplinary hearing was told he was "deceitful" about his arsenal of guns. Martin Wynn Davies, from Wrexham, was jailed for four years in 2006 for keeping 21 weapons, including revolvers and semi-automatic pistols and rifles. He bought guns after tightening of laws following the Dunblane massacre. The committee ruled his crimes were "fundamentally... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Bans Realistic Imitation Guns: More Than 1,000 Handed Over by Dealers
BBC News
4 March 2008
More than 1,000 fake guns have been handed over to police by shop keepers as part of a month-long initiative to help make Manchester's streets safer. According to police, people who carry an imitation gun are more likely to be shot by a real weapon as it is almost impossible to tell the difference. As a result, Greater Manchester Police is urging all owners to give them up. The plea comes five months after it became... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Westminster Accused of Complacency in Scottish-English Gun Law Feud
Herald (Glasgow)
3 March 2008
Gun law reform as demanded by Holyrood ministers has been ruled out by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. The move prompted her Scottish counterpart, Kenny MacAskill, to accuse her of complacency yesterday after she declined an invitation to co-host a summit on the subject in Scotland. Mr MacAskill, the Justice Minister, said: "I'm disappointed our invitation has been rejected and concerned that the Home Secretary says a review... ( gunpolicy.org )
Yemen, Somalia, Australia, Denmark
Australians, Dane Among Gang Smuggling Guns from Yemen to Somalia
Yemen Times
2 March 2008
SANA'A -- Two men, Abdi Othman Soli, 28, a Danish citizen of Somali origin, and Abdullah Awadh Al-Masri, 37, a Yemeni national, were found not guilty this week of smuggling weapons to Somalia in 2006. However, the court gave Al-Masri a three-year prison sentence for other charges such as working with and providing shelter for Al-Qaeda operatives and illegal weapons trading. Among other accusations, the two suspects were tried for... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
UK Rejects Scottish Government's Call for Gun Law Review, Tighter Control
BBC News
2 March 2008
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has rejected Scottish Government calls for a review of firearms laws. She has also declined an invitation to co-host a firearms summit with Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, saying it would not be "timely". Firearms control is reserved to Westminster, but a series of high-profile shootings have given the issue growing prominence in Scotland. Mr MacAskill pledged to press ahead... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Suffolk, UK Police Issue Shotgun Licences to Children as Young as 10
East Anglian Daily Times (UK)
1 March 2008
Children as young as 10 are being issued with shotgun licences by Suffolk police, an EADT investigation has found. Anti-gun campaigners have condemned the decision, arguing children are not responsible enough to use the powerful weapon. A Freedom of Information request found that an 11-year-old has been given a shotgun licence by police already this year, while in 2006 a 10-year-old was handed one. In the past... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
English 'Shocked' as Suffolk Newspaper Reveals 40 Guns Stolen in 4 Years
Ipswich Evening Star (UK)
25 February 2008
More than 40 guns have been stolen in Suffolk in the space of four years, The Evening Star can reveal today. New figures show that between 2003 and last year, 43 guns, including shotguns, rifles and handguns, have been "misappropriated", a term including stolen guns as well as those obtained by fraud or forgery. It is not clear how many of the weapons remain at large on the streets of Suffolk. The alarming figure... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Police Find 'Gun Which Killed Rhys,' the 11yr-old Liverpool Soccer Player
Guardian (UK)
20 February 2008
Detectives investigating the death of 11-year-old Rhys Jones today said they had found a gun they believe is the murder weapon, as the schoolboy's parents said the past six months had been "a living nightmare". Rhys, a keen Everton supporter, was shot dead a few hundred metres from his family home in Croxteth park, Croxteth, Merseyside, as he returned from football practice last August. Merseyside police said the gun was... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Army NCOs Arrested for Stealing Machine Guns, Selling to Criminals
Mirror (UK)
18 February 2008
Three soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of stealing machine guns, grenades and ammunition from their base and selling them to gangsters. A 36-year-old sergeant and two lance corporals -- a man of 27 and a 26-year-old woman -- were seized as police raided their barracks in Canterbury, Kent. An Army insider said: "The police swoop was sensational, there were squad cars everywhere. "We all knew something very... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Kingdom
US Campus Killing: Stop Selling Bullets by the Bucketload, Ban Handguns
Mirror (UK), Opinion
16 February 2008
My friend Tom Vanden Berk's son Tommy was 15 when he was killed in a crossfire at a house party in Chicago. As you'd expect, another high-profile shooting brings back difficult memories. Speaking on the phone yesterday, Tom observed that when America reacts to a mass shooting, the focus is often on how "deranged" the perpetrator must have been. But the real problem is a refusal to acknowledge the astonishingly easy access... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
To Reduce Gun Crime We Must Teach Children to Shoot, Says British Peer
Telegraph (UK)
4 February 2008
Teaching children how to shoot would be the best way to combat the spiralling gun crime culture, according to Conservative peer Lord Tebbit. It would give teenagers the "violence and danger" they crave, while teaching them to take responsibility for their actions, he said. The former Conservative Party chairman, a keen game shooter, added: "Kids should go out on shoots. It gives them a sense of excitement and kids, particularly... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Teaching Children to Shoot 'Perfectly Uncontroversial' In British Countryside
Telegraph (UK), Opinion
3 February 2008
It is a perfectly uncontroversial statement to anyone connected with the countryside that boys should be taught to shoot. Even in a comparatively un-martial age, there are advantages to being taught to shoot young which never leave you; both the skill, which is rather like riding a bicycle, and the conditioned reflex of safety. I have often wondered nervously, as a neighbouring gun in the line cradled his loaded 12-bore... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Gun Figures Show Real Firearm Crime 'Not Widespread' - BBC Analysis
BBC News
31 January 2008
During 2007, nine young people lost their lives in shootings, including the killing of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool. According to Home Office figures, there were 59 firearms-related homicides in 2006-07 compared with 49 in the previous year. That is an increase of 18% in just one year. There were 507 serious injuries from firearms -- more than one incident a day. But at the same time, the trend in gun crime overall... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lithuania, Ireland, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland
Real IRA Suspect Arrested in Lithuania-to-Ireland Gun Running Sting
Guardian (UK)
24 January 2008
The brother of one of the Real IRA's founders has been arrested in Lithuania while allegedly trying to buy arms for the dissident Irish republican terror group. Michael Campbell, 35, was arrested in Vilnius on Tuesday in a "sting" involving the local police, Garda Síochána, Interpol and British security services. An unnamed Irish woman was detained alongside Campbell as he allegedly tried to negotiate a deal with a police agent... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Gun Killings Fall Again, to 49 Firearm Homicides in Most Recent Year
Telegraph (UK)
24 January 2008
The spiralling problem with gun culture was highlighted by figures that show 28 firearms crimes are committed in England and Wales every day. Home Office figures showed gun crimes rose by four per cent last year, the largest increase for three years. It follows a crackdown unveiled by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, after the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones by another boy in Liverpool last August. Police chiefs... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Violent Crime in Britain Falls 16%, Gun Homicides Drop to 49 in Year 2006-07
Guardian (UK)
24 January 2008
The fall in the annual crime rate in England and Wales is accelerating, with a drop of 9% recorded by the police in the year to September 2007, according to Home Office quarterly figures published yesterday. The continuing decline in police recorded crime, which includes a substantial 17% drop in robbery, a 16% fall in serious violence and a 9% reduction in sexual offences, is matched by a 4% fall in crime as measured by the British... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sweden, Denmark
40 Handguns Seized at Swedish Border, 4 Men Arrested for Gun Running
The Local (Stockholm)
22 January 2008
Four people have been indicted in Malmö on gun-running charges following the seizure last autumn of a major consignment of weapons. Customs officials in Malmö found 40 semi-automatic weapons concealed in the seats of a car on October 10th last year. The driver of the vehicle was pulled over after customs officials noticed him behaving in a nervous manner when crossing the border from Denmark to Sweden. One of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, United Kingdom, Norway, Luxembourg
Washington, Britain, Other Countries Show Handgun Bans Don't Work
National Post (Toronto), Editorial
22 January 2008
Toronto Mayor David Miller and the federal NDP have called for a ban on all handguns in Canada. Following the killing of two innocent bystanders in Toronto by stray bullets in the past week, it's natural to cast about for solutions. But calls for a handgun ban amount to meaningless symbolism. If restricting ownership of handguns among ordinary law-abiding citizens had a positive impact on crime, our existing laws would already have... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Scottish Police Chiefs Urge Tighter Gun Control, Ban on Airguns, Replicas
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
20 January 2008
Scotland's top police officers have demanded an urgent review of gun law, claiming it is outdated and in need of radical overhaul. It is the first time the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) has come out and made such a strong comment on the country's firearms legislation. And last night, a former member of the group said he would not be surprised if some senior officers even backed calls for Holyrood... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Military Lost 109 Guns, 54 Assault Rifles Since 2000, Many to Theft
Sun (UK)
19 January 2008
A deadly arsenal of high-powered weapons has disappeared from military barracks, The Sun can reveal. Cops believe most have ended up in the hands of organised crime gangs. A total of 109 guns have been lost or stolen in the last seven years. They include 54 high-velocity SA80 automatic assault rifles that can fire off 30 rounds in five seconds and are lethal from up to a kilometre away. Police suspect... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Gun Summit Planned to Reform, Tighten Firearm Laws in Scotland
BBC News
17 January 2008
A firearms summit to identify how gun laws can be reformed is being planned by ministers in Scotland. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will invite police, farmers, shooting clubs and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, as well as gun control campaigners. He said that with gun crime increasing, the law needed to be tougher and simpler to understand and enforce. Last year saw 247 firearms incidents in Scotland resulting... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Police, Gun Control Campaigners, Gun Lobby Join in Scottish Gun Summit
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
17 January 2008
Scotland is to host a UK-wide summit on reforming the law on firearms including air guns. Kenny MacAskill, the justice secretary, yesterday wrote to Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, inviting her to join Alex Salmond, the First Minister, and himself, in hosting the event. The summit is being welcomed by gun control campaigners, police organisations, and rural and shooting groups. Attempts to allow firearms legislation,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, France
Real IRA Smuggled Guns to Northern Ireland from Eastern Europe, France
Irish News (Belfast)
16 January 2008
In November 2003 police in France arrested five people in connection with a Real IRA arms-smuggling ring after a small arms cache was discovered close to the Port of Dieppe. However, while attention was focused on allegations of a plot to bring weapons in from the continent a massive haul of arms was already on route to Northern Ireland. Purchased from International arms dealers the haul, which included rocket launchers... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
On Bail for Killing Wife, UK Police Inspector Shoots Her Mother, Then Himself
News of The World (UK)
13 January 2008
A police inspector accused of murdering his wife killed himself on Saturday after apparently shooting his mother-in-law dead. Metropolitan Police officer Weddell, 45, who was out on £200,000 bail, is understood to have committed suicide yesterday morning at the Broomhills Shooting Club in Markyate, Herts. The discovery of his body sparked a frantic police search and the body of a woman believed to be his mother-in-law... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Crims Have So Few Real Handguns, Deactivated Guns Now on Ban List
Agence France Presse
11 January 2008
LONDON -- The government said Thursday that it plans to ban deactivated firearms by the end of the year after a huge increase in the number of model and pellet guns that have been converted to fire live ammunition. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced the ban during a visit to Liverpool where 11-year-old schoolboy Rhys Jones was shot dead in August 2007 as he walked home from playing in a game of football. The unprovoked... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Police Welcome Tougher Ban on Deactivated, Even Antique Guns
Guardian (UK)
10 January 2008
The shadow home secretary, David Davis, today said government plans to ban deactivated guns by the end of the year would "do little more than paper over the cracks". His comments came after the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, speaking during a visit to Liverpool, said tough new laws would be brought in to target the supply of deactivated guns that were then reactivated and used in crime. "Tackling gun crime is key to making... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Ban on Real Guns Has Criminals Converting Deactivated, Replica Guns
Press Association (UK)
10 January 2008
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith met with the parents of murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones after announcing plans to toughen restrictions on deactivated firearms. The private meeting with Stephen and Melanie Jones took place during a visit to Merseyside, where the 11-year-old was shot dead last August in a crime which remains unsolved. The Conservatives said the planned crackdown on deactivated weapons would have only a tiny effect... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
1,200 British Under-18s, Young Children Licensed to Possess and Fire Guns
News & Star (West Cumbria)
8 January 2008
Nearly 100 gun licences have been handed out to teenagers or children in Cumbria during the past two years. Figures released by the county's police force show 90 shotgun and eight firearm certificates were granted to under-18s. The constabulary stressed anyone under 17 had to be supervised at all times with a shotgun and all candidates, regardless of age, were thoroughly vetted. The Countryside Alliance also defended... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Policewoman Shot With Army Pistol: Military Hunts Gun Runners Within
Times (UK)
31 December 2007
A policewoman wounded when trying to catch a burglar was shot with a British army pistol sold on the black market by a soldier, the Ministry of Defence said. Rachael Bown, 24, who intervened in the police pay dispute this month when she accused ministers of lacking respect for officers, was hit by a bullet fired from an army-issue Browning 9mm pistol. The bullet hit her in the stomach, just below the level of her body armour, and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Iraq
Gun Used to Shoot Policewoman Linked to UK Troops Smuggling Weapons
United Press International
30 December 2007
NOTTINGHAM, England -- Authorities have linked a gun used in a recent attempted homicide in Britain to the country's military. National Ballistics Intelligence Program officers said the weapon used to shoot police officer Rachael Brown in the city of Nottingham was likely smuggled back from Afghanistan or Iraq by British troops, or was stolen from one of the country's military bases, The Observer reported Sunday. While... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Vast Majority of 'Gun Crime' Involves Imitation Guns or No Guns - UK Police
Northampton Chronicle (UK)
28 December 2007
A top officer for Northamptonshire Police has refuted figures suggesting the force is dealing with one of the biggest increases in gun crime in the country. In a written Parliamentary answer for the Conservative party, data compiled by the Ministry of Justice suggested firearms offences had more than trebled in the past five years, while the number of armed officers in the county fell by a third. The disputed figures said... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Tories Claim Untrained Police Being Sent Into Gun Crime Hot Spots
Telegraph (UK)
26 December 2007
The number of police officers trained to use firearms has fallen, despite a rise in gun crime, new figures show. According to the Conservatives, it means that ill-equipped police teams are being dropped into regions regarded as "gun hot spots." The number of authorised firearms officers has fallen from 6,738 in 1997 to 6,584 last year. But in the last five years the number of crimes recorded that involved guns rose by 11... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Tories Say Britain Has Rising Gun Crime, Too Few Armed Police
BBC News
26 December 2007
Armed police numbers have dropped despite a rise in gun crime, the Conservatives have said. The fall in numbers has been most serious in "hotspot" areas with the biggest rises in offences, figures obtained by the Tories suggest. For instance, in Northamptonshire, gun offences tripled in 10 years -- but the number of armed officers fell by 56%. The Home Office said police numbers were "historically high" and armed police... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Concern at Police Issuing Shotgun Licences to Eight-year-olds in Britain
Telegraph (UK)
21 December 2007
Children as young as eight are being issued gun licences by the police, figures showed yesterday. Forces granted 1,291 shotgun certificates to those aged 16 and under in England and Wales during the 12 months to October. Police said that there was no minimum age requirement for a holding licence and that a certificate would be issued to anyone who was not banned under the Firearms Act or did not pose a risk to public safety.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Gun-loving UK Teacher Struck Off Amid Fear of Dunblane-style Massacre
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
21 December 2007
A teacher police feared could become "the next Thomas Hamilton" has been banned from the profession. Firearms enthusiast Stewart Nicoll, 56, is to be struck off by the General Teaching Council for Scotland after being found guilty of professional misconduct at Grantown Grammar in the Highlands. He had previously been suspended by the local authority on full pay after his civil case against the police to win back his guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Wild West Gun Buyer Avoids Jail for Illegally Importing Revolver to England
BBC News
21 December 2007
A Wild West fan from Devon escaped being sent to jail for importing firearms after being told by a judge his case was "extraordinary". Gun-collector Jeremy Couchman faced a minimum five-year sentence after being convicted of possessing a prohibited Smith & Wesson revolver. The 53-year old bus driver from Torquay was also found guilty of attempting to purchase ammunition. The judge at Plymouth Crown Court gave Couchman... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Kingdom
UK Police Visit Cincinnati to Take Gang Gun Violence Lessons from America
BBC News
20 December 2007
In the world of policing, news travels fast. So when the city of Cincinnati, Ohio managed to reduce its murder rate from 89 in 2006 to 55 in 2007, police forces in both America and the UK took notice. Officers with the Metropolitan Police, plagued by their own deadly gang problems, decided last summer to pay a visit to learn more. "They thought our methods were applicable to the violence in London, and took back the methodology,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Licensed British Gun Owner Killed Policeman, 'Should Not Have Had a Gun'
BBC News
13 December 2007
A man who shot dead a policeman in Shropshire before shooting himself should have been stripped of his firearms licence, an inquest heard. Rat-catcher Peter Medlicott, 33, killed Pc Richard Gray in Shrewsbury on 6 May. Mr Medlicott had been arrested for assault in April, but the information was not passed to West Mercia Police's firearms licensing unit. Had it been, then his licence and weapon should have been... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Britain Inches Closer to Banning Replica, Deactivated, Convertible Guns
Observer (UK)
9 December 2007
Three years after they were jailed, police are still unearthing the murderous legacy of Britain's most prolific gun barons. From their ramshackle store in the Derbyshire village of Little Eaton, an unlikely father and son duo presided over an underworld racket that provided Uzi sub-machine guns and AK-47 rifles to organised crime syndicates. They sold thousands of deactivated weapons -- guns that had been made safe -- but then included... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
100 Arrests, 1300 Weapons Seized in Mass Gun Raids Around Britain
BBC News
29 November 2007
More than 100 arrests were made and more than 1,300 weapons seized in a major offensive against gun culture, the home secretary has announced. Co-ordinated raids in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London led to 118 arrests and the seizure of the weapons -- most of them replicas. More than 1,000 officers were involved in the crackdown, which included work in schools and support for families. Jacqui Smith said... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Police Raid Hundreds of Premises in National Gun Crime Crackdown
Guardian (UK)
29 November 2007
LONDON -- Hundreds of real and imitation firearms were seized during a nationwide "Day of Action" aimed at tackling violent crime among young people, the Home Office said on Thursday. About 1,000 police officers carried out raids and checks in Manchester, London, Liverpool and Birmingham as part of a continuing operation called the Tackling Gangs Action Programme. More than 1,300 real and imitation firearms were recovered... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Iran, Kuwait
Gun Dealer Jailed for 4yrs: First Prosecution Under UK Arms Brokering Law
Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (UK Govt), Web Page
26 November 2007
Arms dealer John Knight was jailed for four years on Friday 23 November 2007 after pleading guilty to the illegal sale of 130 MPT 9 machine guns in the Middle East. In a hearing at Blackfriars Crown Court in September 2007, Mr Knight admitted illegally moving the weapons contrary to Article 9(2) of The Trade in Goods (Control) Order 2003. Mr Knight was also made subject to a confiscation order of £53,389.51 to be paid within six... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Iran, Kuwait
Iran-Kuwait Gun Deal: Arms Dealer Jailed 4yrs Under New UK Brokering Law
BBC News
26 November 2007
Customs officials tipped off about an illegal shipment of machine guns to Kuwait raided a £1.5m house in Kent to find dozens of shredded documents. They believed they related to an operation by arms dealer John Knight to move 130 guns from Iran to Kuwait even though he had been refused permission. The officers spent months painstakingly piecing the shredded paper together. Their work resulted in evidence which... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland, United States
Young Internet Gunmen, Inspired by Columbine, Conspire to Kill at School
Age (Melbourne)
24 November 2007
Death comes but once everywhere but in cyberspace. Within that virtual world, virtually anything goes. And when it goes, it comes back again. There is no time in this universe. Play, replay. Play, replay. Play, replay. Everyone is a master. In the past generation, two streams have risen from the headwaters of technology, flowed downstream and merged into one: the video game and the internet. Most of the time this can be innocent... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Iran, Kuwait
British Arms Broker Jailed for Shipping Machine Guns from Iran to Kuwait
BBC News
23 November 2007
An arms dealer from Kent has been jailed for four years for illegally shipping machine guns outside the UK. John Knight, of Valley Road, Fawkham, pleaded guilty to moving weapons from Iran to Kuwait, contrary to article nine of the Trade in Goods Order 2003. He was jailed at Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday. A confiscation order of £53,389 was also made with a further sentence of 18 months if Knight fails to... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Europe
British MP Gets European Nations' Support to Ban Convertible Handguns
BBC News
23 November 2007
A Euro MP for the north-west of England has won backing for her campaign to tighten laws on blank-firing guns that can be converted in to lethal weapons. Arlene McCarthy says weapons of that type can, and have, been used to kill. The move follows the Finland high school massacre and an attempted massacre in Germany. Almost half the weapons seized by police in Greater Manchester last year were imitation weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Iraq, Germany
British Soldiers Smuggled Guns from Iraq, Sold in Germany: Got 10yrs Jail
BBC News
23 November 2007
Two soldiers who smuggled guns out of Iraq intending to sell them to army colleagues have been jailed. Lance Corporal Michael White, 28, was jailed for 10 years and Corporal Anthony Creswick, 25, given nine-and-half years. Both men from the 3rd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, along with Lance Corporal Brent Campbell who bought a gun, were also thrown out of the army. The Court Martial at Catterick Garrison... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ireland
Irish Police Catch Man Carrying an AK-47 Assault Rifle in a Dublin Street
Irish Times
23 November 2007
Gardaí arrested a man in Dublin last night after he was found carrying a AK-47 assault rifle. The man (22) was stopped by plain-clothed gardaí on Camden Street at around 9pm. The officers discovered the rifle and two magazines, one of which was full, in a bag his was carrying. He was arrested and taken to Harcourt Terrace Garda station. Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy, who took over as head of the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Advertising Watchdog Slams Movie Ads 'Glamorizing' Gun Violence
Reuters
22 November 2007
LONDON -- The advertising watchdog on Wednesday upheld complaints that images used to promote an action film glamorized guns amid growing public concern about youth violence. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it backed 55 people who complained about posters for the thriller "Shoot 'Em Up." One of the ads showed actor Paul Giamatti pointing a gun while holding a mobile phone with text saying "Just another family... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British PM Vows His Determination to 'Root Out' Gang Gun Crime
BBC News
17 November 2007
Gordon Brown promised severe punishment for people caught carrying firearms as he met a special police task force tackling gun crime in Manchester. The prime minister met officers at the task force's base at Greenheys police station in Moss Side. He also talked to families who have had relatives murdered by gang members. The visit came as officers continue to hunt the killers of Jessie James, 15, gunned down a... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
'Boston Miracle' Inspires Britain's Latest Push to Curb Youth Gun Crime
BBC News
16 November 2007
LONDON -- Scotland Yard's latest initiative to deal with youth gun crime is modelled on a successful gang-busting initiative in the US. Within two years of implementing Operation Ceasefire in 1995, Boston had reclaimed the streets from the gangs. The Boston Miracle, as it is known, reduced violent crime by about 50% in two years. During a 29-month period covered by the operation, not a single teenager died in gun... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Finnish School Shooter Qualified for His Handgun Simply by Joining a Club
International Herald Tribune, Opinion
16 November 2007
The horror that struck Finland last week was inconceivable, incomprehensible, unbearable. The massacre of children, at school, by their classmate -- no one can make sense of such a calamity. Yet as commentators were quick to point out, the scenario at Jokela High School was grimly familiar. A teenage boy, filled with existential angst and rage, buys a gun, takes it to school and opens fire, killing several people before taking his... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Air Rifle Death of 17yr-old British Boy a 'Tragic Accident' - 2 Teens Arrested
BBC News
12 November 2007
Police say the death of a 17-year-old boy who was shot with an air rifle seems to have been a "tragic accident". Two teenagers, aged 18 and 16, who were arrested after the death of Danny Marsh in Newport, have been released on bail, pending further inquiries. Gwent Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting in Maesglas on Sunday evening. Danny's relatives called him an "adored son and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, World
Brief Guide to the World's Best Known Guns and Major Gun Makers - BBC
BBC News
12 November 2007
The global trade in small arms is big business -- 1,250 companies in at least 92 countries produce weapons, parts or ammunition. But who are the big players? ARMALITE Makers of the M4 and M16 assault rifles, which are popular with the US armed forces and soldiers from many other nations. The design was quickly bought by Colt. Armalite weapons were also popular with the IRA, hence the republicans' long-time policy of... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, World
Brief Layman's Glossary of Firearm and Ammunition Terminology - BBC
BBC News
12 November 2007
Most people in the UK will have never come across a real gun and the terms used, while they are readily recognisable, need some explanation. BALLISTICS Ballistics is the science concerned with the functioning of firearms and the dynamics of projectiles, from bullets through artillery and right up to rockets. Forensic ballistics experts are able to determine various characteristics which can link bullets and guns with... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Britain's Changing Firearm Laws - A Guide to UK Gun Laws, Past & Present
BBC News
12 November 2007
In the wake of a series of high-profile shootings, an observer might assume that guns are suddenly pouring into the UK for the first time. But gun control is a relatively recent phenomenon in Britain, where ownership of firearms was relatively common a century ago. The contrast between UK legislation on gun ownership -- among the strictest in the world, and that in the United States -- among the most relaxed, might appear... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Carry a Gun and You'll Either Shoot, or Get Shot - London Trauma Surgeon
BBC News
12 November 2007
Mike Walsh is a consultant who heads up one of the country's top trauma teams, based at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. He has dealt with dozens of gun crime injuries. "It is not for me to judge if they are a 'goodie' or a 'baddie'," he said. He is the consummate professional who avoids making judgements when a patient comes in, and gets on with the job of trying to save a life. Because it is the home of London's... ( gunpolicy.org )
Europe, United Kingdom, Lithuania, Germany
EU May 'Fast Track' Convertible Gun Ban, Background Checks, Registration
BBC News
12 November 2007
A British MEP is hoping to "fast track" a new EU deal on gun control and says last week's school massacre in Finland should act as a wake up call. Last week, the BBC reported that police in Britain, faced with a flood of easily convertible replica guns, want changes to European laws. Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy, who chairs a key committee, said a new deal could be in place by the end of the year. The new directive... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland
Finland Changes Course on EU Gun Rule: Teen Shooters To Be Supervised
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)
12 November 2007
The Finnish government decided on Friday to propose a change in the law on firearms, restricting the acquisition of guns by those under the age of 18. Until now guns have been available to children 15 and above with a parent's permission. The decision came on Friday when the government's ministerial committee on European Union affairs discussed the upcoming EU firearms directive. The aim of the directive is to restrict access to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland, United States
Finnish School Killer's Web Chats with Jailed Philadelphia Shooting Plotter
Associated Press
12 November 2007
PHILADELPHIA -- A teenager who admitted plotting a school attack near Philadelphia had communicated online about the Columbine massacre with a teenage outcast who killed eight people and himself in a high school shooting in Finland, the Pennsylvania boy's attorney said Monday. But the teen was "horrified" when he found out about the Finnish attack and said he never would have suspected him of following through with a violent act,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Germany
How Guns Get Into the Hands of UK Crooks: Gas Gun Conversions in Britain
BBC News
12 November 2007
In November 2006 three men were jailed in connection with one of the biggest gun importation rackets in Britain. But how did it work and what can be done to stop such operations? In the spring of 2005 Manchester gangster Desmond "Dessy" Noonan was interviewed for a television documentary and bragged about having "more guns than the police". A few days later he was shot dead on a street in south Manchester. Noonan's... ( gunpolicy.org )
Finland, United States
Internet Link Alleged Between Finland and Philadelphia School Shooting Plots
CNN
12 November 2007
LONDON, England -- Police in Finland are examining Internet material after claims a disturbed teenager who killed eight people in a school shooting may have been in contact with a Philadelphia boy accused of planning a similar shooting spree. Students in Finland returned to school Monday for the first time since the massacre. Around a dozen police officers stood guard as younger students returned to class at a nearby primary... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Who Supplies Guns to UK Criminals? Summary of Trafficking Routes - BBC
BBC News
12 November 2007
Britain has some of the toughest gun laws in the world, and has done a great deal to choke off the supply -- but as long as there is a demand for guns there will always be someone willing to find a way to provide them, at a price. Since a ban on handguns was introduced after Thomas Hamilton murdered 16 children and their teacher at Dunblane in 1996, criminals have found it harder and harder to find guns. 'Guns are rare'... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
With Gun Crime Still at Low Levels, UK Remains a Relatively 'Safe Haven'
BBC News
12 November 2007
The death of several young people in recent months has led to a great deal of soul-searching about Britain's gun culture. So what can be done to end gun crime in the UK? Drugs, urban decay, racism, "gangsta" rap and an absence of positive role models have all been blamed for the recent spate of gun deaths, with Tory leader David Cameron going so far as to blame a "broken society". But are things really that bad, and what... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
Young UK Men Now Carrying Guns, Real or Imitation, at Much Younger Ages
BBC News
12 November 2007
Simply carrying a gun now carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years -- so who does it and why? Guns can provide an intoxicating and almost pornographic attraction to young men who often feel powerless, according to academics in the field. Last year Gavin Hales, a criminologist from Portsmouth University, researched gun crime in a project funded by the Home Office. He interviewed 80 men in prison who had... ( gunpolicy.org )
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