Happy birthday Johnny

So, some time back members of the UK government looked at the rising gun crime statistics and the blood drained from their collective faces. They saw guns being carried as fashion accessories or as necessary tools of the drug trade. They saw the indiscriminate firing of sub-machine guns in the streets and seemingly motiveless shootings of innocent citizens going about their day to day lawful business. They heard reports of robbery and murder at the drop of a hat. They could not believe their eyes and ears and they knew that something needed to be done.

Naturally the first thing they did was to call an amnesty. No surprise there then. This is where a group of generally law abiding people hand in a bunch of old crap they’ve had lying around for ages. The media showed loads of pictures of old guns in buckets and the police and the Home Office cried success.

Then the government sent a few representatives out to various gun-control meetings across the country to make vague promises about curbing gun culture. Right noises were made, advice from gun clubs and associations was dismissed, and everyone agreed that guns were evil, nasty things that had no useful purpose except to those with criminal intent.

We will not become like America, they said. Never, never, never.

Then they sat down to draw up their new laws. Yes, laws so devious, so mighty and righteous that the criminals will have no choice but to sit up and take notice.

First off was a five year minimum jail term for anyone caught in possession of a prohibited firearm. Two birds with one stone this one. A law that would deter the criminals who were shooting at each other in the streets and annoy those that were to judge them in the courts all at the same time. No longer could those pesky judges let someone off lightly.

What could they possibly do to follow this?

It had been noted that some clever criminals were converting a particular and reasonably well defined type of air pistol, commonly known as the Brocock, into real live firearms. Eyes darted over to the mighty ban stick. Converting the pistols was already a criminal offence but to ban the gun in its original sporting form would show that the government meant business. It was an opportunity for the stick that could not be missed.

Never mind the community that had taken to using these ugly and dangerous guns for their dirty and wicked sport. The government has pushed these kinds of people around before. A pathetic minority that could be safely ignored.

So the Brocock, or self contained gas cartridge pistol, was effectively banned. It was no longer legal to sell or transfer ownership of them in the UK. Existing owners could either hand them into the police (bucket collection style) or apply for a special license so that they could keep their property until it fell into disrepair. No need for compensation because a clever law like this doesn't require it. It's not really theft. Governments do not steal.

And so it was done, with a grace period just to allow for the sporting minority to hand in their property or apply for licenses.

This grace period runs out in just a little over a day.

However, there is a problem. You see, most people don’t follow the government’s legislative process very closely. It’s not that they don’t care, it’s just that they are busy doing other things. They think that if the government wants to tell them something important, like that airgun you brought your son for his birthday last year is illegal now they would. After all, it tells you when you are too fat, too fast or too smoky doesn’t it?

So now we have the situation, fantastical as it is, where almost all of the 75,000 banned airguns are still unlicensed and in circulation and where there is a minimum five year sentence for anyone caught in possession of one. This is the stark reality of knee jerk ill thought out legislation, a term now synonymous with UK gun law:

"The stark reality is that if people ignore the changes in the law they could ultimately end up in prison," said Chief Supt Paul Robinson, of the Metropolitan Police.

So happy birthday Johnny and merry Christmas to each and every one of you state made criminals. Recorded gun crime could be about to jump to its highest level ever. An astonishing result given the original intention, even for this government.

Posted by John at April 29, 2004 02:41 PM | TrackBack