Regardless Of This Man's Exemplary Military Career, Surely He Should Have Received A Jail Sentence For Keeping This Stash Of Weapons?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3540966/SAS-hero-jailed-Falklands-War-gun-trophy-Former-soldier-sentenced-15-months-keeping-9mm-pistol-remind-22-friends-died-conflict.html

[naomi24]

^That is what I questioned at 11:09 Fri.

[ChillDoubt]

Given that he'd had them for over 30 years and hadn't used them ought to tell the hand-wingers and bedwetters that yes, he held them illegally but rather obviously had no immediate plans to use them in anger so yes, a bit too draconian IMHO.

[ChillDoubt]

Hand-wringers........ bloody tablet!

[Peter Pedant]

yet again -
there is a man who is jailed for possession of firearms
and AOG asks in an agonised tone whether he should be jailed

he was... AOG, he was - Laws are there to be obeyed and not flouted

by contrast in the Nasty Neighbours programme
one welsh farmer who has harassing and being nasty to a neighbour. commented: "as soon as the police found the revolver, I knew i would go to prison.... "

there are some small arms you cant get a licence for
and I think our SAS hero had one or a few ....

Erskine childers was shot in 1922 for possession of a firearm
so I think this lot got off lightly

[vulcan42]

A relevant and important question being ignored naomi, that's why I repeated it.

[Peter Pedant]

// Why have other people who had guns not gone to prison if there is no alternative?//

on the facts ( which change - Vulcan ) and sentencing policy ( which changes with time too )

and the Daily Mail insisting the facts of two cases are IDENTICAL - because I am old does not automatically persuade me

as for implying that someone should not have to obey firearms laws because he is mad ( or suffering for PTSD ) - this is everyday fodder for AB but still makes no sense to the rest of us ....

[naomi24]

Peter Pedant, has the sentencing policy changed since Christmas when the two pensioners were spared jail?

[murraymints]

why do people need guns ..if you are not a gamekeeper or possibly farmer..NOBODY should own a gun !!

[waterboatman]

Small bore and full bore are sports in their own right. but all weapons should be registered. Being an ex-soldier he should know this. However I think jailing him is going too far. He is unlikely to do any damage with them as he is well trained in weapon handling.

[murraymints]

guns are lethal weapons..I abhor their use as "sport"...wrong wrong wrong...guns are BAD news and unless you have a valid occupational reason to own one then you should not ..simple...

[naomi24]

murraymints, we own guns. We shoot clay pigeons.

[murraymints]

each to their own Naomi..I simply do not agree with firearms in sport at all..too many unstable people in this world..guns are killing machines in any context, the potential for catastrophe is omnipresent....no guns no threat

[waterboatman]

You can't un-invent something minty. I used to do a lot of small bore, .22,

and full bore .303 and 7.62mm. Also 9mm and .22 hand guns. All at targets.

[murraymints]

guns were invented for one reason..to kill and maim...I know some of the Dunblane parents who would agree...Hamilton used guns in "sport"...not necessary and to my mind just too great a threat in today's society ..

[waterboatman]

I agree with you to a point minty.

It takes a lot of skill to to hit a small card target at some distance. It is an enjoyable sport.

However. guns do fall into the wrong hands, and that is what needs cracking down on.

[EDDIE51]

Vulcan and others, If it was as the Daily Mail headline said, he had only kept the one pistol as a souvenir he would not been sent to jail.
It is the fact that he had 5 other weapons and over 180 rounds of ammunition including 'expanding ammunition' that meant he had to go to jail.
Expanding ammunition is illegal for private ownership in the UK even with a licence. As I said it is designed ONLY to kill people and to cause the maximum possible damage to the body so that medical help is impossible.
The other weapons he had were not army issue , so he must have bought them from illegal dealers. He had no licence for any of the weapons or ammunition so the only way he could have acquired them was illegally.

[murraymints]

Eddie..my point entirely...absolutely no need for these weapons but for one reason....as demonstrated by the illegal ammo...potential for tragedy..who is to say this person was not making plans, otherwise why have these weapons and fodder at all ?..scary scary scary...

[EDDIE51]

Is there a petition to increase his sentence ?
Just suppose that the situation was exactly the same but the guy just happened to be a Muslim ex service man , what headline do you think the 'Wail' would have used ?

[murraymints]

suspect he may have been dealt with more harshly..suspected terrorism ? why should it be regarded any less seriously because he was "sas hero"

[Svejk]

///..who is to say this person was not making plans,///

That's dangerous territory to get into, minty..