tinbum71 Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Got a knock on the door at about 8pm and 2 coppers were there. Said they'd had a complaint from a neighbour that I'd been shooting "indescriminately" and had hit their house. This is utter ****** as I have all my angles and directions "off pat" to make sure I only ever shoot over land I have permission on. I only fired 3 shots this evening, all thru the hushpower and all toward the back field, directly away from the house in question. (I'm 150yds off to start with) They took the guns pending a visit from the local bobby tomorrow. While I appreciate that all gun related reports are to be considered serious and acted upon, is this to be a case of my word against theirs? And could I lose my license due to them making up a ******* complaint to stir it up? Yours with an empty cabinet...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 I wouldn't fire my gun in my back garden, hushpower or not, I've got more respect for my neighbours, no matter how big the garden. Gardens shouldn't be used as shooting ranges, the old bill are obviously considering whether you're a "fit & proper person" to hold a shotgun cert. Cat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 I wouldn't fire my gun in my back garden, hushpower or not, I've got more respect for my neighbours, no matter how big the garden. Gardens shouldn't be used as shooting ranges, the old bill are obviously considering whether you're a "fit & proper person" to hold a shotgun cert. Cat. Garden??!! I was in my field!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 So, in your field you can shoot wherever you like, sod the neighbours..?? Cat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 So, in your field you can shoot wherever you like, sod the neighbours..?? Cat. Sorry, I don't know who ****** on your chips tonight, but read the original post. I was in my field, shooting across the fields of the farm behind. The nearest neighbour is at least 150 yds away, across a road, 2 hedges and out of sight. This is a very rural area, I'm not blatting away in a downtown inner city area, just on the farm. They have accused me of shooting toward their house. This is my main concern at the moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 will they have to prove you hit the house,or will you have to prove you did not. if your a member, phone your shooting organization first thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning GTS Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 So, in your field you can shoot wherever you like, sod the neighbours..?? Cat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 will they have to prove you hit the house,or will you have to prove you did not. if your a member, phone your shooting organization first thing. Innocent until proven guilty you mean?? I asked if any damage had been done, any shot found etc, but all the police had was "indescriminate shooting." The lady there is an anti who feeds the magpies (bless 'em) I bought the hushpower with her in mind so at least she wouldn't keep moaning about the noise. And no Catamong, I don't hold clay days here. 6 shots in a whole day are around the tops I'd shoot . It's mainly vermin around my livestock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 You should highlight you use a Hushpower to accomodate difficult neighbours who feed the predatory birds you shoot. Your word against theirs. Problem is, Police will act first and think later when it comes to guns. Plenty on here who have had wild accusations made against them and who have had their guns swiped and who are still arguing about the details 6 months later. Good luck with it. Get onto the BASC asap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Will do Mungler. Thanks for the advice. It's the shock of it I suppose. They were nice and all that, they pointed out they had no intention of pushing for a prosecution but if other people have to suffer it then I suppose I can. Shame we can't all stand together for support and ideas instead of resorting to instant accusations and back-stabbing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 they pointed out they had no intention of pushing for a prosecution so why have they had your guns away. trust no one in uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Tinbum , sounds very much like the anti thing . I would contact my own lawyer first thing and B.A.S.C. Good luck to you i am sure you dont have to worry if you were shooting on your own land . It must be very upsetting for you,keep your cool and work it up im . Harnser . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkfooty Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 (edited) Seems to me that the plods acted in a totally unwarranted way by removing your guns on the basis of an unsubstantiated complaint. Get on to BASC first thing in the morning (assuming you are a member) and ask them to (a) intercede on your behalf and, if that does not secure an immediate return of your property, then ( ask them to lodge an official complaint on your behalf. The only reason for a legitimate complaint in the circumstances you describe would be if you were either causing a nuisance to your neighbours or endangering the person or property of any member of the public. The fact that you use a moderated gun to reduce nuisance from noise and have calculated all the angles and ranges suggests that they would have a difficult job to prove any case against you. But don't fight it on your own ans possibly say something you might later regret. That's what you pay your BASC subscription for (amongst lots of other things). Hope it all works out for you. Eric PD - Did they have a warrant to enter your property? Edited June 10, 2008 by Pinkfooty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Seems to me that the plods acted in a totally unwarranted way by removing your guns on the basis of an unsubstantiated complaint not arf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Thankyou all. I will contact BASC first thing, it was there on my list to do, but it was all a bit wierd and happened so quickly and unexpectedly. I feel a bit better about it all now. Your comments, on the whole, have been a great help. Cheers guys Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 wow 12 people reading this!! is this a record? ohh and good luck witht he guns all will come thru good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Sorry, but you ain't gonna get your guns back yet- not if Mick Shepherd's case is anything to go by! He was in custody for 10 months, found 'not guilty' and the judge ordered his guns to be returned immediately. Operation Trident said 'No' and overturned the judge's decision! You and others are an easy target in this god forsaken country. YOU had to PROVE you were 'suitable' to own and use a gun; your neighbour could be a convicted person, paedophile, shoplifter, drunkard, whatever. YOU can be NONE of these and own a gun! Silly country!!! Write to your MP (unless he is Labour!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Before doing everything else everyone else has suggested why dont you wait and what the policeman says who is visiting you tomorrow? You will then be in a better position to see if you need to take any further action. I am not taking sides here even thought I am a policeman but as usual everyone seems to be jumping on the anti police bandwagon again. I dont see the problem with the police taking your guns. They have informed you that someone who you know is making a complaint about you for your use of the guns. As they dont know you personally they dont know how you will react to this. Taking the guns does not mean you will never see them again. It does however mean you cant shoot the woman in a temper or use them to cause trouble. It also preserves the guns incase they are needed for evidence. This may sound a bit far fetched but if when the officer deals with it tomorrow he sees that you were not guilty of any offences then you can have your guns back and no harm it done. A large part of it is the police dont want for an incident to happen after someone has reported (even though it might be a load of rubbish) a possible firearms offence. Cant afford the compensation claim. Hope you get it sorted and get the guns back. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy111 Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 It also preserves the guns Incas they are needed for evidence.Harry Must certainly disagree on this comment. I had my guns taken of me, many years ago, for another reason. got them back within days but the flip-ups on my scope on my rifle were ****** and unusable. No recompense or apology. So how they could be used for evidence, you tell me. As stated, wait till the visit and explain quietly and knowledgeably about what you were doing and the reason why you used the hush power, I have fox huggers around my shoot and they know they cannot do anything about what I legally do , much to their chagrin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polester Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 can an ordinary PC take your guns off you or does it have to be a firearms officer. Otherwise you give you guns to a unlicensed person? is this being responsible?. If you are not used to diffrent guns how can you tell if it safe ie not loaded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignoel Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 i had a similar problem shooting on a farm close to house's in a village and yes one of the house's was a police station ? a woman conplained a shot pigeon came down hit her grand child directly on the head . but her cat had pickt up the evidence and ran away with it how conveniant police called into the farm .i told them were more than 200 yards from house's next day i called to police station gave them a written contract stateing days we would be shootng and basc membership and my [ npta ] insurance. now they still get complaints same lady but the cop's have told her we are within the law nothing they can do. i did think our guns were going to go thou the first time there ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Must certainly disagree on this comment. I had my guns taken of me, many years ago, for another reason. got them back within days but the flip-ups on my scope on my rifle were ****** and unusable. No recompense or apology. So how they could be used for evidence, you tell me. I dealt with a job a few weeks ago where a member of the public had seized an air weapon possibly used in an offence and test fired it before giving it to me. I took it to the armourer who explained that evidentially it was a waste of time because he could have tampered with the gun since the offence. If he had phoned the police we could have gone round and seized the weapons thus protecting the integrity and continuity of the evidence. This example not be the same as the situation explained but the same basic principles apply. Polester, any police officer can seize any evidence relating to an offence. This includes guns but common sense needs to be used. If they dont know one end of a gun from the other then they should call someone who does. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 good luck with this one, the plus points are you are in a rural area so hopefully the police will have more idea about proper gun use. As said talk to the BASC and also your FEO, odds are it will be sorted out fairly easily. make sure that you explain the history to her complaint and suggest she is trying to intimidate you in a legal pastime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 It's fair enough they took them really. I know it's a bit **** but if you've done nothing wrong you'll get them back. Once the evidence is put together you should be fine, but the police can't afford to take the chance that you may have been doing something you shouldn't. If they left the guns with you and you hurt someone, they would be right in the deep end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts