THE DANGERS OF BALL-BEARING GUNS

For some time Gun Control Network has been highlighting the dangers posed by the easy availability of ball-bearing (BB) guns. The fact that many of these resemble, and can therefore be mistaken for real guns has resulted in many incidents to which police armed response teams have been called.
Critics of our campaign often say that the guns themselves are not dangerous, and they promote them as suitable playthings for children. Although the number of incidents in which children are injured by pellets fired from BB guns should provide a sufficient warning about the fallacy of this view, sadly it is not until a serious injury occurs that the general public become alerted to the real dangers.
The shooting of David Hazel has shown just how dangerous BB guns can be.
At the end of June Mr Hazel, a former soldier, was shot outside his home in Woodchurch on the Wirral. He was hit in the back as he ran down a neighbour's path to escape his attacker. The weapon used was a BB gun.
The shot lodged in Mr Hazel's spinal cord, and as a result, doctors say, he will never have the use of his legs again. He was so badly injured that medics thought he had been shot with a bullet.

These guns are not harmless toys and it is time their manufacture, import and sale are stopped.
Stories on the incident and a moving interview given by David Hazel were published in the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post

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Below is copy of the article I published in the MATRA Newsletter for those who may have missed it.

I was visited this week by a lady who arrived quite distressed. She had been down the road from me to deliver another order and had her car repeatedly targeted and damaged by boys under 10 firing BB guns at her car. Hitting and marking the bodywork. Ofcourse they thought her repeated request for them to stop was a big joke. She was telling me how she had only weeks ago had that side of the car re-sprayed at some cost. It is the usual thing, group of approx. 4-6 boys, with the new fad of BB guns which is nothing new in the UK at the moment just maybe a little later getting down to us. Because of the misuse and danger of these so called "toy guns" laws are now inforce to combat their misuse. People may not be aware that " an imitation firearm is defined as anything that has the appearance of a firearm whether or not it is capable of discharging a shot or bullet"

Stricter controls have also been introduced over the sale of air weapons with the age limit being raised from 14 to 17 years old. It is also an offence for an air weapon to be given to a person under-17.

The legislation provides stricter controls on the use of such weapons. No-one under the age of 17 will be able to have an air weapon in their possession unless they are supervised by a person who's at least 21 or as part of an approved shooting club. It is an offence to carry an air weapon, whether loaded or not, or an imitation firearm in public without permission.

The new powers have been out since January 20th, they have been introduced under the Anti-Social Behavior Act 2003, will give police greater powers to arrest people carrying such weapons.

The maximum penalty will be six months imprisonment.

The new laws also mean it is an offence to carry ball bearing guns in public so please, will someone tell the kids and parents in MaesG about this. Going around like mini gangsters shooting anything that takes their fancy as a target be it live or stationary does not endear people to the younger generation. I can hold my hands up here as I have experience of handing one of these small guns to a younger member of my family thinking since all the other kids have one its ok. I soon found out that accidents easily happen and it is now confined to the bin. No matter how careful and responsible we think our children are accidents happen to the best of us. If you want to read more about these guns and some of the accidents and damage they have caused then please go to my website www.matra.org.uk the 007 news page and follow the link for BB Guns - Dangerous & Illegal! So many times I have heard people say " well what can we do about it" about this or that or the other. Most of the time we don't have to DO anything, because the laws are already there, written in the Law books of the land, they just have to be enforced by the powers that be. Police, Council Officials, Governments etc, etc. They just need a little reminder now and again to get some action that's all!