Airgun ban 'must be enforceable'

The chief constable of Tayside police said new laws must be workable

A police chief has warned that any future law banning the ownership of airguns, must be enforceable.

John Vine, chief constable of Tayside Police said legislative changes must be workable and practical.

The warning comes as the Scottish Executive call for more powers from Westminster to deal with the proliferation of airguns in Scotland.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill told Radio Scotland it was vital airguns were removed from general circulation.

The executive want to bring in a licensing system for all new sales of airguns and restrict their use to sporting or gun clubs or for those working in areas like pest control.

'Fit for purpose'

Although new rules governing the ownership of airguns will take effect across the UK in October, the executive believe Scotland has a distinct problem with the weapons.

Mr MacAskill is arguing that Holyrood needs more powers to tackle the issue head on.

He said: "There is a distinct problem in Scotland with regard to air weapons in particular.

"We believe that we need to update an act that's predicated to some extent on an act back in 1968 with many amendments since then, to have an act that's fit for purpose in the 21st century."

But chief constable Vine said it did not matter whether it was London or Holyrood who legislated for airgun use. He insisted that any new law must be practical in its application.

Tightening the law does no good. It doesn't stop them falling into the wrong hands Sharon McMillan

He added: "What we have to do is just look at the pros and cons of the various options and try and give ministers advice on what is practical.

"I think that's the concern of the police service, that what we have in place is something that's workable, something that we can enforce and as far as possible, reduce the amount of bureaucracy that's going to be associated with taking all these weapons out of circulation."

Sharon McMillan, the mother of toddler Andrew Morton who was killed after being shot in the head with an airgun in 2005, is campaigning for a complete ban on the weapons.

She said: "Tightening the law does no good. it doesn't stop them falling into the wrong hands.

"I want a total ban and I'll never give up until I get a total ban."

Two-year-old Andrew Morton was killed by an airgun

In response to executive calls for more to be done on airgun crime, Scottish Secretary Des Browne said Westminster's priority was to work with Holyrood to ensure all communities were protected from gun crime.

First Minister Alex Salmond met Westminster Justice Secretary Jack Straw in Edinburgh on 13 July and has since written to Mr Straw regarding the issue.

Meanwhile, Mr MacAskill met Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker on 19 July.

New UK-wide laws went onto the Westminster statute book last year which effectively outlawed the sale of airguns at car boot sales, corner shops, and outlets not regulated by police.

The legislation also lifts the age limit for owning airguns from 17 to 18, tightens the law on firing air weapons from private property, and effectively outlaws mail order and internet sales.

The executive believes it could acquire powers over airguns in one of two ways - either through devolving firearms legislation permanently to Edinburgh, or a one-off procedure in which Westminster could agree to Holyrood legislating in this area, in what would be a reverse of the Sewel convention.