Help needed please.

[saab6110]

Hi. I am looking for some advice please. So, I have had my rifles and shotguns taken from me by the Police this morning. Here is a bit of back background to better understand, so we have had an ongoing issue with the neighbours next door to me. I am private and they are platform housing, there has been not stop harassment from their side for the past two years and I have been reporting it to Platform Housing and nothing is being done.

I had my builder down last week whilst here he was verbally abused by the woman. He reported this to Platform via email. I reported this to the Police as I have been asked to get incident numbers to build a case. I have had a 6ft fence erected between us from the top of the garden to the front of the house, I have had 4k CCTV cameras installed and put a canopy front to rear of the house as we keep being filmed/photo’d.  The housing officer from Platform has hardly done anything so now I’m dealing with her boss as well.

We have found out this weekend that the woman causing a lot of the problems is not even a tenant there and has done this sort of thing at her previous house. I have not interacted with the neighbours at all in over a year and they continue to cause problems. I have got to ring the firearms and BASC tomorrow to see what can be done.

Any idea’s that can help please.

[Agriv8]

What reason did the police give for taking your firearms and shotguns?

Agriv8

[davewh100]

i take it the neighbor's have made a report of threats received

[saab6110]

When I had to reported them nearly3 week ago I was quoted as saying "I was at the end of my tether as this is now going on for 3 years" It was reported to a female civilian and I wanted to say "effed off with the lack of help" 

No threats have been reported

Edited May 8, 2023 by saab6110

[Scully]

You need professional help regarding this. I can understand the stress this must be causing, but you won’t find the help you need on a shooting forum. 
 

[Dougy]

You will get loads of advise on here. 

Whether its the correct advise is another question. 

We only ever get one side of the story with these kind of problems. 

[saab6110]

That's true but I have CCTV of everything reported. He is a truck driver goes to work 3-4am hoots horn flashes lights on purpose.  May sound trivial but 140 times plus over 3 nights (Backed up with CCTV)

8 minutes ago, Scully said:

You need professional help regarding this. I can understand the stress this must be causing, but you won’t find the help you need on a shooting forum. 
 

Thanks Scully, I am contacting BASC tomorrow so you never know.

[Scully]

9 minutes ago, saab6110 said:

That's true but I have CCTV of everything reported. He is a truck driver goes to work 3-4am hoots horn flashes lights on purpose.  May sound trivial but 140 times plus over 3 nights (Backed up with CCTV)

Thanks Scully, I am contacting BASC tomorrow so you never know.

Best of luck. It would be of interest if you let us know how they respond. 

[saab6110]

6 minutes ago, Scully said:

Best of luck. It would be of interest if you let us know how they respond. 

I will keep you informed thanks

 

[clangerman]

the last people I would take advice from on seizure is basc unless out to turn something that takes weeks into a nightmare lasting many months 

[CaptC]

Contact The Shooter's Rights - far better!

[Old farrier]

You should seek professional help with this 

especially if you’re at the 

( end of your tether )

comments like this can be misconstrued or indeed misunderstood 

the solution with hindsight would have been to lodge your firearms and shotgun with a rfd before this escalated to the situation that you now find yourself in 

hopefully you will have a good and speedy outcome 👍

[enfieldspares]

Quote

I had my builder down last week whilst here he was verbally abused by the woman.

See if your builder will make a complaint to the police about this.

Quote

He is a truck driver goes to work 3-4am hoots horn flashes lights on purpose.

That, using a horn at the times stated is an offence. 

[snow white]

I would touch Basc on this with a barge pole gave my mate advice he lost his guns get a proper solicitor on your case 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

56 minutes ago, snow white said:

I would touch Basc on this with a barge pole gave my mate advice he lost his guns get a proper solicitor on your case 

I presume you meant WOULDN'T    

[Loki]

Hi

8 hours ago, CaptC said:

Contact The Shooter's Rights - far better!

I second Capt C regarding SRA (Shooters Rights Association), Richard Law, Secretary, is experienced in such matters and proactive, and knows experienced Solicitors if needs be.

L

[bruno22rf]

Check to see if your house insurance covers you for legal issues.

[CaptC]

Anyone see the Tower Hamlets video of the Met shooting two dogs and tasering the owner? 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

What significance does that sorry event have on the OPs thread?

[saab6110]

CapC I will contact Shooters Rights thanks

Old farrier end of your tether probably wrong choice of words but didnt want to swear for Police woman

My guns have been with RFD on a few occasions but I was going shooting last night.

enfieldspares I have passed builders details onto Police he says he is willing to make statement

[old'un]

10 hours ago, Old farrier said:

You should seek professional help with this 

especially if you’re at the 

( end of your tether )

comments like this can be misconstrued or indeed misunderstood 

the solution with hindsight would have been to lodge your firearms and shotgun with a rfd before this escalated to the situation that you now find yourself in 

hopefully you will have a good and speedy outcome 👍

 

Think these were the key words ..“I was at the end of my tether” that set the alarm bells ringing for the police.

 

 

[Old farrier]

1 hour ago, old'un said:

 

Think these were the key words ..“I was at the end of my tether” that set the alarm bells ringing for the police.

 

 

That’s what I was thinking 

if you say that to the police officer they were bound to take a seriously hard look at the situation and take the necessary steps to ensure the licence holder and the public safety 

poor choice of words 🤔🙄

[HantsRob]

So, I spoke to a firearms officer very recently about gun seizures for Hampshire. This information is anecdotal only and is not a formal quote from the police, and could not and should not be used in that manner..

"The advice is that if the licencing team have a concern that requires investigation, then the safest way is to withdraw firearms from an address until it can be investigated slow time without firearms being accessible. The attending officer will have a lawful duty to seize based on that request and requirement."

Now my personal opinion.....

This could be due to an allegation being substantial enough to have a concern of firearms usage, which could be as little as direct threats of violence without a firearm (I'll punch you if you carry on) or potentially an act of desperation (at the end of your tether). Please note that you don't need to threat to use a gun, merely aggression and a potential for a momentary lapse of judgement and/or mental health may be sufficient to remove the risk. Once the firearms are taken away, then the full investigation can happen to hear both sides, work out from that what has happened on the balance of probability, and then move to outcome.

It sounds like you've had allegations made against you and it's a dirty but effective trick to tell the police that your neighbour with a gun is aggressive and keeps threatening with physical violence. That needs to be investigated, as frankly if it were true then intervention is needed immediately. Whilst this feels like guilty until proven innocent, there is no other effective way to reduce a risk without doing this. 

I feel for you, based on your information. I would suggest a few steps for you:

• Create a diary, and write as many notes and dates and times of incidents that have occurred
• Review CCTV footage and mark the date and time of any incidents of note. Export any footage that may be appropriate including at least 2-3 minutes both sides of the footage, even if it goes against you
• Write down as much information like a statement. Consider looking at "5 part statement" to write it like a police officer as that's how they write them and what courts expect also. Have as much detail, when they moved in, how you know them, how you recognise them, what they've done with dates and times etc, and any reactions you have done. Make it objective, even if that damages your appearance sometimes. But, if you can document something bad they have done and you've told them to "do one", be honest here as this will actually help with your honesty and integrity
• Contact your licensing team and ask if they would be prepared to hand your firearms over to a nominated friend to either a) store for you or b) transport to an RFD for storage. You could be transparent and say this is so that they are stored in a good condition to avoid future complaints of potential mishandling, so that they are accessible to persons to clean/lube/inspect regularly, and potentially to liquidate the asset should you need funds. Do not engage in further chats unless they instigate at this point.
• Speak to BASC/CPSA etc for advice soonest.

 

Good luck.

[HantsRob]

11 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

See if your builder will make a complaint to the police about this.

That, using a horn at the times stated is an offence. 

It really isn't that simple of not allowed between 23:30 and 07:00.

There's no indication of if the horn was used to warn another of a danger. There's no clarity if it's a built up area, which by definition needs to have a settled area in which the speed limit of a road is automatically 30mph, and this is usually denoted by having street lighting less than 200 yards apart, or by use of street signage. Also look at S82(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Regulation act 1984.

 

That said, Section 99 of the Road Vehicles (Con and Use) 1986 makes it clear for use of audible warning instruments.

 

I don't think the persistent/frequent use of the horn in the stated way would suffice to be warning other road users of a danger, but I am reading it as he's driving a truck which are typically not parked in built up areas. So I am now assuming it's a car, and frankly he's just being a horrific neighbour committing an offence. 

 

As for the flashing of headlights, I believe it is an offence under s89 of the Police Act to warn others of a speed camera etc, and a separate offence if you use your headlights to intimidate other drivers (dangerous driving), but I do not believe there is an offence to flash them at an empty road or house in the road traffic laws. That said it could constitute antisocial behaviour in an environmental way.

Good luck with this one also, and if you have it on camera both flashing and use of horn then the Police could look at both traffic offenses and antisocial offences. 

 

Fiiiiinally, consider speaking to your local council. Noise pollution is typically not a policing matter but rather a civil council matter. So I would be reporting it to the council also as if it's predictable they may send a noise abatement officer to your home when it typically happens so they can also deal with it in a separate way.

 

Good luck!

[saab6110]

Thanks for all the help and advise.  Contacting legal today and see how it goes.