Taxi Driver Online

Drive-by shooting highlights danger of ‘cheap’ gun fees



A CRIME chief says this week’s shooting incident has highlighted the chilling dangers of guns.

Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg and anti-gun campaigner Bobby Turnbull and after Prime Minister David Cameron turned down calls to raise weapon licence fees.

Mr Cameron last week vetoed a proposal to raise the cost of a gun licence from £50 to £88.

Administering and issuing each document costs an average of £196, costing police forces £17m annually to subsidise.

Mr Turnbull lost his aunt, Susan McGoldrick, 47, his mum and Susan’s sister Alison Turnbull, 44, and his own sister, Tanya Turnbull, 24, in a shotgun massacre in Horden on New Year’s Day 2012.

They were shot by Susan’s partner, taxi driver Michael Atherton, 42, who then turned the gun on himself.

Mr Hogg said: “Police forces across the country have faced cuts that are too deep and too fast.

“While we are taking the tough decisions about how to allocate our increasingly limited budget, it defies logic that the police are still forced to subsidise gun licences. And Monday’s events in Wingate are a chilling reminder of the potential dangers of firearms.

“I am dismayed that even a proposal that would still keep the police footing over 50 per of the bill has been blocked by the Prime Minister’s office.

“It is just commonsense to have a licence system in place that recoups the costs of administration.

“I understand that many gun owners in County Durham and Darlington need their firearms as tools.

“However, £196 for a five-year licence would still be a modest fee, and would lift the burden on our already strained police service.”

Hartlepool Golf Club worker Mr Turnbull, who has been campaigning for tougher gun controls since Atherton’s attack, said: “I’m appalled to hear that the proposal to increase the fee for gun licences has been blocked.

“I have been promised by two different ministers that we would be moving to full cost recovery sooner rather than later.

“This decision makes me more determined to continue campaigning for increased licence fees.”


http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/cr ... -1-6797774

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

No it doesn't - it highlights the danger of giving f*ckwits licenses ffs

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The mindset of these people always seem to think that upping the price of whatever is the answer - put an extra 50p on an alcoholic drink only penalises the poor - the well off can still get hammered - put up gun fees means that only the rich will be able to shoot A.N.other..... Or drive by shootings...........well we do not need a license - cos we do not want you to find us

P.S. I cannot understand as to why it costs .....to give out a bit of paper/probably a CRB check - unless as usual it is for some jobsworth to have a rather large salary.

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

You don't have to look far to get a shotgun mate. That's what he's getting at.

Most shootings are illegal weapons, sawn offs, drug gangs, yardi's, etc, and nothing to do with licensed weapons

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

less than my badge fees

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Why not Double the fee to a £100 but give out a 10 year permit instead of five.

That costs the applicant no more over all and reduces the processing costs by half..and if you've been a naughty trigger fingered little boy then the gun gets mangled and sent to the bottom of the sea.