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| Plymouth shootings: Government stops short in shotgun reforms | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Maxine Davison, Sophie and Lee Martyn, Kate Shepherd and Stephen Washington were killed in August 2021 | Maxine Davison, Sophie and Lee Martyn, Kate Shepherd and Stephen Washington were killed in August 2021 |
| Ministers have begun a consultation into firearms licensing but stopped short of accepting a coroner's call for "root and branch reform" after a mass shooting in Plymouth. | Ministers have begun a consultation into firearms licensing but stopped short of accepting a coroner's call for "root and branch reform" after a mass shooting in Plymouth. |
| Policing minister Chris Philp said the government would provide £500,000 for a national police training programme. | Policing minister Chris Philp said the government would provide £500,000 for a national police training programme. |
| He also announced a review of firearms licensing fees. | He also announced a review of firearms licensing fees. |
| However, two recommendations were rejected and others not immediately accepted. | However, two recommendations were rejected and others not immediately accepted. |
| Jake Davison, 22, used a legally-held shotgun to kill his mother Maxine Davison, 51, and four others before shooting himself in the Keyham area of the city on 12 August 2021. | Jake Davison, 22, used a legally-held shotgun to kill his mother Maxine Davison, 51, and four others before shooting himself in the Keyham area of the city on 12 August 2021. |
| Three-year-old Sophie Martyn, her father, Lee, 43, Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66, were all killed. | Three-year-old Sophie Martyn, her father, Lee, 43, Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66, were all killed. |
| The government launched a public consultation on Thursday in response to the Plymouth shooting and a report by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee following its review of firearms licensing following the fatal shooting of John MacKinnon on the Isle of Skye on 10 August 2022. | The government launched a public consultation on Thursday in response to the Plymouth shooting and a report by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee following its review of firearms licensing following the fatal shooting of John MacKinnon on the Isle of Skye on 10 August 2022. |
| In the Home Office consultation it states: "Public safety is our priority, but the measures to manage the risk to public safety must be proportionate and balanced with the fact that the vast majority of licensed firearms holders are law abiding and cause no concern." | In the Home Office consultation it states: "Public safety is our priority, but the measures to manage the risk to public safety must be proportionate and balanced with the fact that the vast majority of licensed firearms holders are law abiding and cause no concern." |
| 'Abject failure' | 'Abject failure' |
| Ian Arrow, senior coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon, had called for a major overhaul of gun laws after an inquest found "catastrophic police failings" before the shootings. | Ian Arrow, senior coroner for Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon, had called for a major overhaul of gun laws after an inquest found "catastrophic police failings" before the shootings. |
| He found there had been an "abject failure" to properly train police officers and police staff in firearms licensing decisions over nearly three decades. | He found there had been an "abject failure" to properly train police officers and police staff in firearms licensing decisions over nearly three decades. |
| He said there was an "urgent need" to develop nationally-accredited training for firearms and explosive licensing staff. | He said there was an "urgent need" to develop nationally-accredited training for firearms and explosive licensing staff. |
| Jake Davison killed five people, including his mother Maxine, in the Keyham area of Plymouth | Jake Davison killed five people, including his mother Maxine, in the Keyham area of Plymouth |
| In a written statement, Mr Philp said the government was tackling the issue of police training "straight away" by providing £500,000 for a new national training programme led by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs Council. | In a written statement, Mr Philp said the government was tackling the issue of police training "straight away" by providing £500,000 for a new national training programme led by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs Council. |
| He said the training would become mandatory for police firearms licensing teams "in due course". | He said the training would become mandatory for police firearms licensing teams "in due course". |
| 'Right of entry' | 'Right of entry' |
| As part of the consultation on firearms licensing, the government is considering whether to grant police the power to enter a gun owner's home without a warrant to seize weapons when there is a risk to public safety. | As part of the consultation on firearms licensing, the government is considering whether to grant police the power to enter a gun owner's home without a warrant to seize weapons when there is a risk to public safety. |
| The coroner had said he was concerned authorities could only enter a property to seize guns or ammunitions when there was an immediate threat to life - officers otherwise had to rely on warrants or voluntary surrender. | The coroner had said he was concerned authorities could only enter a property to seize guns or ammunitions when there was an immediate threat to life - officers otherwise had to rely on warrants or voluntary surrender. |
| The British Association for Shooting and Conservation said it opposed changes that it said would grant "an automatic right of entry by the police to certificate holder's premises". | The British Association for Shooting and Conservation said it opposed changes that it said would grant "an automatic right of entry by the police to certificate holder's premises". |
| It said: "If there is a risk to public safety or the peace, then a warrant can be obtained." | It said: "If there is a risk to public safety or the peace, then a warrant can be obtained." |
| Jake Davison killed five people before turning the shotgun on himself | Jake Davison killed five people before turning the shotgun on himself |
| Cost of licences | Cost of licences |
| Following the inquests in January and February the coroner produced a Prevention of Future Deaths report. | Following the inquests in January and February the coroner produced a Prevention of Future Deaths report. |
| He said there was an "unacceptable risk" that licensing units would continue to be under-resourced unless the cost of processing an application became self-funding. | He said there was an "unacceptable risk" that licensing units would continue to be under-resourced unless the cost of processing an application became self-funding. |
| The inquest heard the price of a shotgun licence was £79.50 - but the cost to police forces of processing an application could be more than £500 - which the coroner said risked "rushed and ill-informed decisions". | The inquest heard the price of a shotgun licence was £79.50 - but the cost to police forces of processing an application could be more than £500 - which the coroner said risked "rushed and ill-informed decisions". |
| Mr Philp said the government was reviewing firearms licensing fees to move to "full cost recovery" for the police. | Mr Philp said the government was reviewing firearms licensing fees to move to "full cost recovery" for the police. |
| He said: "We intend to consult on the new fees this summer and to bring forward the necessary statutory instrument to make the fee changes later this year." | He said: "We intend to consult on the new fees this summer and to bring forward the necessary statutory instrument to make the fee changes later this year." |
| Shotguns and firearms | Shotguns and firearms |
| Mr Philp said the government would not accept the coroner's recommendation on aligning shotgun and firearms legislation, rejecting the move as "unnecessary". | Mr Philp said the government would not accept the coroner's recommendation on aligning shotgun and firearms legislation, rejecting the move as "unnecessary". |
| "Shotguns are already subject to significant controls, and they are important in helping farmers control vermin on their land, as well as being used in a variety of rural pursuits," he said. | "Shotguns are already subject to significant controls, and they are important in helping farmers control vermin on their land, as well as being used in a variety of rural pursuits," he said. |
| Mr Arrow had said he was concerned the current law meant there were "less stringent" restrictions on shotguns than firearms despite shotguns being "no less lethal". | Mr Arrow had said he was concerned the current law meant there were "less stringent" restrictions on shotguns than firearms despite shotguns being "no less lethal". |
| Other key government proposals include updating mandatory prohibitions (circumstances when a person is automatically denied a gun) and reviewing the length of renewal periods for licences, currently five years. | Other key government proposals include updating mandatory prohibitions (circumstances when a person is automatically denied a gun) and reviewing the length of renewal periods for licences, currently five years. |
| Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Plymouth | Plymouth |
| Plymouth shooting inquest | Plymouth shooting inquest |
| Plymouth shooting | Plymouth shooting |
| Isle of Skye | Isle of Skye |