Another Gun Amnesty

[Lex]

Possibly an experiment in pointlessness, as any firearms suspected of being involved in crime will be investigated, potentially putting people off handing guns in: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29876446

[rebbonk]

Amnesty ought mean just that. - Sadly plod has cases to solve, so it's going to be a bit of a misnomer

[Lex]

A trickle of guns have been handed in: http://onlinenews.warwickshire.polic...urrender/16976

[rebbonk]

Serious question, have the UK gun laws actually worked?

For a 'gun free' country we seem to have rather a lot of gun related crime.

[Lex]

436 guns were handed in! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-30087384

[rebbonk]

436 guns in a gun free country? - The mind seriously boggles!

[rebbonk]

FWIW, a couple of years back I discussed a theoretical situation about obtaining a fire-arm with a few of my drinking mates. I was putting together a story and admitted that I hadn't a clue about how the central character could obtain a gun. Several laughed at my naivety and next day I was actually offered an unused and untraceable gun. (9mm Luger, plus several rounds of ammunition).

Frankly, I nearly crapped myself!

It really is that easy if you have the right connections.

[Margaret]

We all remember the Tony Martin case, but that is now quite a long time ago, and to be honest nobody really knows what the attitude of the courts would be to somebody using a gun on their own premises against burglars. The courts would have to be very careful now in trying to go against public opinion on this, because whilst nobody wants to see vigilanty law, people are fully entitled to protect themselves, family and property. There was always an element of fantasy in the way the English law looked at this. It seemed to think that a householder would be perfectly calm and collected and rational when facing in intruder at night, which is bonkers. The real problem we have had in this country is that unlike the Americans, we do not have the right to bear arms. It is no use saying they get into the wrong hands, because they are already in the wrong hands given that criminals hardly apply for licences, so its completely bogus to deprive ordinary people of this right.
In fact you could even say that even if the intruder doesn't hava gun, he could have a cricket bat, or knife to threaten with, ordinary people should their own means to defend themselves.

[rebbonk]

I think the problem is the word 'defend'.

IIRC in the Tony Martin case, wasn't the thief running away? On that basis I think the defend argument fell down because you aren't defending against someone running away from you. I also suspect that Tony Martin was a victim of political games being played at the time.

But in all honesty could I say I wouldn't have done the same as Tony Martin did?

[cathidaw]

Some years ago one of my neighbours heard someone creeping up the stairs about 2 am.Thinking it was one of his sons he got out of bed to give him a good telling off as he had been warned about coming in at all hours.On the landing were two men.One turned back but the other grappled with my neighbour who managed to push him down the stairs behind his mate.Both landed at the bottom with injuries. The two men took him to court for 'assault and battery'.The case was in the newspapers and went on for a long time.Eventually he won -and was cautioned. But the worry of it broke up the family and they moved away.The law hasn't changed much since then be it with guns or intruders.
If it happened to me and I pushed an intruder down the stairs- It would have to be gently with no intention of doing an injury. God forbid that I should admit I intended to maim someone who entered my property without my permission at 2 in the morning.I'd want to break his legs.
2 years ago someone attempted to take the lead from my bay window. I saw him .1.30am. I told the police that if I hadn't had the window locked, I could have have opened it quickly and knocked him off.the bay. He said, 'Good job you didn't madam you'd be in big trouble".
I said ."Shucks ,No chance of me being a hero then" We laughed, but he did say ,the law is not defined.

[rebbonk]

Didn't the fool from No.10 say he would change the law so we could all 'bash a burglar'?

[cathidaw]

I think he did== but not injure anyone.