November 2006

Rifle siege man walks free
02 November 2006
ARMED police surrounded a house in Heysham after a man pointed an air rifle at his estranged partner's home, a court heard.
http://www.lancastertoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=31&ArticleID=1855570


Lesbian pensioner shoots ex-lover
02 November 2006
The Harrow Crown Court heard the case of a 73-year-old woman who threatened to kill her 64-year-old ex-lover and then shot at her with an air rifle. Newman pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, according to the BBC.
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/10594


Gun youths kill goose
4th November 2006
A FAMILY watched in horror as two youths shot a goose dead at point-blank range in a Bolton country park. Moments earlier the youths had maimed a swan after firing into a flock of birds on the lake. http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1004248.0.gun_youths_kill_goose.php



They can be as lethal as any firearm
2nd November 2006
IT is not before time that MPs have moved to impose tough new controls on the ownership and use of airguns. Although wrongly dismissed by those who are uninformed as to their capabilities as little better than "toys", the reality is that in the wrong hands they can be every bit as lethal as any firearm. City MP Mark Lazarowicz is to be congratulated for being instrumental in helping pilot new legislation through Westminster which will make the purchase and ownership of such weapons more difficult. Having overcome a series of hurdles legislation, covering both air powered weapons and replica guns, should be in place by the end of the year.

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=1623052006


Target set for airgun controls
2nd November 2006
TOUGH new controls on the sale of airguns will be law within weeks after a campaign spearheaded in Edinburgh. More than 1000 people supported a petition by Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz calling for tougher laws following a spate of incidents in the city. Now new UK-wide legislation is set to come into force by Christmas which will mean people carrying the guns in public could be jailed for up to a year. The Violent Crime Reduction Bill will also make it an offence to fire an airgun in public and ban under-18s from buying or owning one. All airguns will also now have to be sold over the counter by registered dealers. Police are currently called to almost five airgun attacks every week in Lothian and Borders. The most recently published figures showed incidents involving air weapons nearly doubled from 125 in 2000, to 240 in 2003. Last year, police launched the first dedicated 24-hour armed response unit in Edinburgh to deal with gun- related incidents. Mr Lazarowicz said today: "I have been leading a local campaign for the past year calling for tighter controls on airguns and replica weapons. I am delighted to report that this campaign has achieved success with the House of Commons and House of Lords passing the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, toughening the law on the sale of air weapons and replica guns.

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1623222006


Boy aged 5 in airgun horror
8th November 2006
A BOY of five was shot in the head after a group of youngsters was apparently targeted by thugs with airguns. Alfie Shaw was yards from the back door of his home on Montgomery Street, Hollinwood, when he was hit on the temple by a lead pellet.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/227/227617_boy_aged_5_in_airgun_horror.html



Putting a stop to air gun thuggery
6th November 2006
THOMAS Legerton was cycling back from a routine shopping trip at Tesco in Fulbourn when he became the victim of a terrifying drive-by shooting. A gang of thugs took a potshot at the 27-year-old man from a passing car, and the airgun pellet that lodged in his thigh had to be removed by surgeons at Addenbrooke's Hospital. Police were horrified, but it could have been worse; many victims of such shootings across Britain have been seriously injured or blinded. http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/city/2006/11/06/ec0bd409-1ff3-47a2-b547-5e4e705a368e.lpf



Blasted in the face
8th November 2006
A SHOP assistant was shot in the eye with an airgun on Friday as armed raiders targeted the Blockbuster video shop in Monkspath. The 26-year-old man is recovering at home after the robbers fired a pellet gun into his eye in the bungled raid last Friday morning, November 3, at 11.15am.
http://icsolihull.icnetwork.co.uk/news/local/tm_headline=blasted-in-the-face-&method=full&objectid=18065027&siteid=91411-name_page.html



Man married woman seven months after shooting her.
14 November 2006
A MAN who shot his partner twice married her just seven months later, a court heard yesterday. Robert Silvestro, 43, used an airgun to fire pellets into his partner's head and chest after arriving home from a drunken New Year's Day party early on 2 January.

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1683322006


Airgun cadet gets second chance
14 November 2006
A TEENAGE Army cadet who accidentally shot a six-year-old boy in the head was given a second chance yesterday. High Court judge Lord Kinclaven was told that if he locked up the 15-year-old, he would never achieve his ambition to become a soldier. After reading a "glowing" report from the youth's cadet detachment commanding officer, Lord Kinclaven placed him on probation for three years.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=airgun-cadet-gets-second-chance-&method=full&objectid=18090312&siteid=66633-name_page.html


Swan was killed in horror shooting
15 November 2006
A swan was shot in the head and neck with an air rifle at a Bolton beauty spot, a court has heard. Matthew Knowles, aged 21, and a teenage friend were involved in the attack. http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.1021299.0.swan_was_killed_in_horror_shooting.php
16 November 2006 Mathew Knowles was sentenced to eight weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months, with a requirement to attend probation for 12 months and complete the Think First programme - a course to help people from reoffending again. He was also ordered to pay £70 costs. http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.1024334.0.swan_shooter_lucky_to_stay_out_of_prison.php


Van Driver Shot At
24th November 2006
A VAN driver was shot at with an air gun in a road rage attack in Thame last Thursday morning. The pellet shattered a rear window of the victim's Volkswagen van after he was chased for seven miles by an angry driver. http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1039734.0.van_driver_shot_at.php


Air rifle attack on firefighters
18 November 2006
Firefighters returning from a call-out have been attacked with an air rifle, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has said. At 2240 GMT on Friday the crew, based at Northland Road in Londonderry, was fired upon by someone using what was described as a laser sighted air-rifle. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6160750.stm