Thursday 28 September 2023

So What, Chris..?

A meeting of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel heard the area had 37,684 firearms and shotguns linked to just 12,354 licences. It means one person could have "a small arsenal" warned Flintshire councillor Chris Bithell.
They can still only fire one at a time, possibly two if they are really good...
Andy Dunbobbin added police were currently bound by the law, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
As they should be. The law is sensible and allows people who properly hold a licence to have more than one item, and that's as it should be. Why not?
"A certificate can cover one weapon. [But] there's no maximum or minimum," said Mr Bithell, who is Flintshire's cabinet member for public health.
"I think that should cause some alarm," he said, "because although the owners of these guns... may well be bona fide people, farmers and so on, who use them very legitimately.
"The danger is break-ins and then these weapons get into the wrong hands."
"I think it should be raised nationally," he added. "I think it should be one certificate per weapon really so we can keep some sort of grip on this.
"You are talking about 37,000 plus weapons in the north Wales area, and that's a matter of some concern."

I can't really say I'm concerned. And not just because I don't - thankfully - live in Wales.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately these berks are conflating Section 1 firearms (rifles) and Section 2 (shotguns). Possibly deliberately, because they don't like guns, but who knows?

"A certificate can cover one weapon. [But] there's no maximum or minimum," said Mr Bithell, who is Flintshire's cabinet member for public health."

Yes there is.

Minimum: One. Less than one, and the Police will revoke your FAC because you don't need it any more.

Maximum (Section 2): Currently no limit, but that's subject to ownership being registered onto the relevant FAC at purchase, and the owner complying with the "safe storage" condition amended onto all FACs. Which is verified by the the Firearms Licensing department of whichever Police Force covers the area, at FAC renewal time, and if you don't have enough gun safes in your house to satisfy them...
Maximum (Section 1): *Whatever the Police/FLD have said you can have*. Each weapon needs to have a demonstrated "good reason" for being held (target shooting, hunting, or vermin control), but (legal technicalities aside) it's entirely at the discretion of your local Police/FLD if you get to hold a Section 1 firearm.

So the maximums are either known to - or defined by - the Police, who very much have the power to step in if they get even the tiniest sniff of a problem.

Umbongo said...

The dildo on Flintshire Council should be aware that guns licensed in the UK are not just left lying around the licensee's house waiting to be stolen: they have to be securely stored under lock and key etc etc. OK, call me paranoid, but this looks like the start (probably continuation) by Welsh politicians to completely disarm the civilian public.

Anonymous said...

I have a small arsenal. Over and Under for clays. Side by Side for game. 20 bore for a walk around the fields. .410 for vermin. Two others inherited that I keep for sentimental reasons. And 3 on my licence that actually belong to someone else who can’t keep them at home because the police have so far taken 14 months to issue a new licence to the owner because they are utterly incompetent. And yet I’ve still managed to stop myself shooting anyone. Despite daily provocations from the inordinate number of deeply unpleasant halfwits that seem to populate public life these days.

John Tee said...

"You are talking about 37,000 plus weapons in the north Wales area"

They are the ones you know about. You know where they are and who is responsible for them. It's all the others you should be worrying about.

James Higham said...

It takes a special mind to want to live in Wales such as it is right now.

Anonymous said...

"Guns don't kill people, rappers do"

Third greatest sheep shagging band after Super Furry Animals and Manic Street Preachers 😉

Anonymous said...

"Guns don't kill people rappers do"

Third greatest sheep shagging band after Super Furry Animals and Manic Street Preachers

Lord T said...

The welsh have always been a bunch of totalitarian wankers and like all totalitarians they are always concerned with the plebs having access to weapons. Their Firearms section is one of the strictest already just lkike their traffic section.

I'm glad I don't live in Wales and I feel sorry for the Welsh and Scottish when we devolved government so control freaks like this got into power.

JuliaM said...

"Unfortunately these berks are conflating Section 1 firearms (rifles) and Section 2 (shotguns). Possibly deliberately, because they don't like guns, but who knows?"

Never ascribe to conspiracy what could equally be ascribed to ignorance!

"The dildo on Flintshire Council should be aware that guns licensed in the UK are not just left lying around the licensee's house waiting to be stolen..."

He no doubt thinks they are!

"And yet I’ve still managed to stop myself shooting anyone. "

And unlike dangerous dogs, your guns haven't loaded themselves, escaped the house and shot anyone either!

"It's all the others you should be worrying about."

Very good point!

"I'm glad I don't live in Wales and I feel sorry for the Welsh and Scottish when we devolved government so control freaks like this got into power."

They've only themselves to blame. They wanted it!