The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... iates.html

A frightened farmer who called 999 after gipsies threatened to kill her was stunned when the police who eventually arrived told her they would confiscate her legally held shotguns.

Tracy St Clair Pearce, 50, was confronted by four men carrying a chainsaw and a knife, who warned her they would kill her cattle at her farm in Colchester, Essex.

She called police late on Good Friday to report the threat, but was left gobsmacked when officers took 35 minutes to get to her home, before telling her they would confiscate her shotguns.

[...]

He also confirmed she did not use them at any stage to threaten the travellers.

This reminds me of the post I started about lack of respect for the police - I wonder why that could be???

Article has been rewritten and shortened, but this bit has been added:

A spokesman said: ‘Officers became concerned at the behaviour of a woman and laid information before magistrates accordingly.

‘They were given powers to seize guns in her possession and have done so as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.’

My question is: Without actually revoking your license, how is it legal for police to confiscate your guns or certificate? Do police have some power of seizure specific to firearms? Can they seize your kitchen knives and cricket bats if they think you're at risk of violence?

The woman is quoted as saying that she was away when the police arrived a second time, and that police told her that they would 'pull the cabinet off the wall' unless she told her brother where the key was. If I recall case law correctly, telling someone where your cabinet key is kept is an offence!

You must realise they are only acting in your best interests!!! You are quite safe in their hands.
YEH RIGHT.

The same is reported in the Telegraph! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... hreat.html


They have also obtained a warrant to seize her certificate ... that effectively stops her buying any further shotguns.

But the Telegraph also states:

"Essex Police said: “Police officers became concerned at the behaviour of a local man, and laid information before local magistrates accordingly.

“They were given powers to seize a shotgun and ammunition that he had access to, and have seized them as a sensible precaution in the circumstances.” "


Who is the local man with guns he had access to? If it was the brother, then how could he access the guns? They needed the woman there to open the cabinet ... so it sounds as though they lied to the magistrates.

Hopefully she will be a member of BASC or CLA or another organisation that will take this on and prove that confiscation was illegal.

Not very well known, but Showmen can purchase and own .22RF Rifles and ammunition without a FAC.

I know of at least one case where a Showman purchased a number of 10/22s and ammunition just by showing a card saying he was a Showman,.OKd by Strathclyde.

From...
http://www.basc.org.uk/en/utilities/doc ... 523083F073

Miniature rifle ranges
6.3 Under section 11(4) of the 1968 Act,
a person conducting or carrying on a
miniature rifle range (whether for a rifle club
or otherwise) or shooting gallery at which
only miniature rifles and ammunition not
exceeding .23 inch calibre or air weapons
not declared by the Secretary of State to be
specially dangerous are used, may without a
firearm certificate, purchase, acquire or have
in their possession such miniature rifles and
ammunition therefor.

It should be noted
that “Exemption Certificates” issued by the
Showman’s Guild or the National Small Bore
Rifle Association have no legal force but can
be considered proof that somebody was
operating a miniature rifle range or shooting
gallery. There is though no obligation on the
operator of the range or gallery to produce
any form of documentation, and the police
would only be justified in taking action
against such an operator where they are not
meeting the terms of section 11(4). The
Health and Safety Executive have also
issued guidance on miniature rifle ranges
at fairgrounds.

A few years back Bnz and I were having neighbourhood troubles. Not just one family but their followers as well.
Bnz called the police for advice. He was told that as there were no witnesses and no actual harm they were not interested. Then the officer told him our address had flagged up that there were guns on the premises. He actually said that maybe they should be handed in, in case they ended up investigating a murder. Not his exact words but that was the general gist of it. Soon after we put them into storage as we decided we had to move away as the trouble was getting worse. Our idea was that if anything happened we couldn’t be accused of anything. It also meant we could get them away from the house when we knew the scum were not around. It was a wise move as on the day we moved the 15 year old, female, ringleader couldn’t keep her trap shut and started making threats. (That was another reason why we don’t let neighbours see we own guns.)

Essex County Council who I believe cover the area where this incident took place, are renowned for dragging their heels when it comes to pikeys. They got permission to move some from a place called Dale Farm, bailiffs company have been appointed but they have done nothing. Don’t want to upset them now do we?

Standard procedure, persecute the law abiding tax payers and let the pikey scum of the earth "do as they likey" :evil:

Alan

Had a run-in with some of these delightful people the other day whilst walking on a clearly signposted public footpath (clearly signposted and since verified with the relevant local authority). Threatened to 'shoot your f**king legs off' if I didn't get off their 'private property' - this was in front of my wife and two young kids. Needless to say, youngest point-blank refuses to walk anywhere off-road now. We were going to report it, but we would have undoubtedly been wasting our time at best... :x

Doz wrote:Had a run-in with some of these delightful people the other day whilst walking on a clearly signposted public footpath (clearly signposted and since verified with the relevant local authority). Threatened to 'shoot your f**king legs off' if I didn't get off their 'private property' - this was in front of my wife and two young kids.

The delightful people being a farmer or the kind hearted travellers? Either way I think you did very well to resist the temptation to do something rash at the time :(