A new report from the Scottish Government has shown that crimes involving firearms are at their lowest level in a decade. Airgun crime is also continuing to fall – down 13% from last year and 75% since 2006-07 raising the question as to whether the Government’s proposed licensing scheme is proportionate or necessary.
Nicolle Hamilton, Scotland Press and Policy Officer for the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), said: “The statistics show that Scotland’s lawful gun owners are safe and responsible with levels of crime involving firearms at a 10-year low. We are pleased that airgun crime has fallen again this year by a further 13% to 171 offences.
“This means that of the estimated 500,000 airguns in Scotland 0.03% were involved in an offence last year. This statistic further demonstrates that a licensing scheme is not necessary and is another example of the SNPs attempts to tax and ban a legitimate and safe sport. The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents have also spoken out against the proposals to license airguns. The majority of airgun offences are minor incidents such as criminal damage, which can be addressed by education and enforcement of existing laws.”
There were 365 offences in which a firearm was alleged to have been involved, a decrease of 32% from last year. Of those crimes 171 involved an airgun, a decrease of 13% from last year.
The full report can be found here