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Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Law on crossbow sales to be tightened after spate of sickening attacks
People buying the dangerous weapons online will have to submit photo ID at the point of sale and again on delivery under a fresh crackdown on deadly crossbows by the Home Office The law on crossbow sales will be tightened after a spate of sickening attacks. People buying the dangerous weapons online will have to submit photo ID at the point of sale and again on delivery under a fresh crackdown. Plans to introduce a stringent two-step age verification system for retailers selling knives online did not originally include crossbows. But the Home Office has now widened its Crime and Police Bill to include the lethal weapons. Calls to clamp down on crossbows were renewed this week after two women were injured in an attack involving a crossbow and firearm in Headingley, Leeds, on Saturday. The government has previously come under pressure to tighten the law after vile killer Kyle Clifford murdered Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28, with a crossbow at their family home in Bushey, near Watford, last year. A Home Office minister said further action on how the Government plans 'to limit the availability and accessibility of crossbows in this country" will be published shortly. Archery's governing body has previously voiced concern that a crossbow ban might affect some archers who find using the equipment easier. At the moment it is only illegal to buy a crossbow if you're under 18, and there is no need to have a licence. However people can be jailed for up to four years for carrying one in public without "reasonable excuse". Ministers have faced calls to bring in licences for crossbows similar to those required by gun owners. In early 2024, the Tory government gathered evidence on whether to bring in greater controls on crossbows. Crime and Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson told the House of Commons yesterday: "We are very aware of concerns about the use of crossbows in violent attacks. The previous government held a call for evidence on licencing systems that could apply to crossbows last year to which they did not respond. "As part of our wider work to get dangerous and lethal weapons off Britain's streets, we will shortly be publishing our response to that consultation setting out how we plan to go further to limit the availability and accessibility of crossbows in this country." Labour 's Crime and Policing Bill includes a package of measures to strengthen the law on knife sales online, which together will be known as 'Ronan's Law'. It is named after Ronan Kanda, a 16-year-old who was stabbed to death with a 20-inch ninja sword that his killer had bought online. He was murdered as he walked home in Wolverhampton in 2022 in a horrific case of mistaken identity.
BBC News
08-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Crossbow crackdown on horizon after Bushey murders
A Labour MP has said tightening the law around crossbow sales is "important" as an ex-soldier who murdered a woman and her two daughters awaits Turmaine, MP for Watford, told the BBC the Labour government had introduced a bill which started to deal with the circumstances of Kyle Clifford's is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after admitting stabbing Carol Hunt, 61, to death and shooting her daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28, with a crossbow at their family home in Bushey, near governing body raised concerns that restrictions might affect elderly and disabled archers who found using crossbows easier, but said it would work with the government. Clifford, 26, of Enfield, north London, had entered guilty pleas to murder, false imprisonment and possession of offensive weapons, in Thursday, jurors of found him guilty of raping Louise Hunt, his ex-partner, after a trial at Cambridge Crown had ended her 18-month relationship with Clifford about two weeks before she died, jurors legally bought the crossbow he used in the attack online, plus a cocking device and six bolts, for £ also bought a specialist butchering knife and ordered an air pistol, which never arrived. Turmaine, MP for Watford, indicated that a crackdown was in the offing."You will have seen that we introduced a Crime and Police Bill into Parliament very recently that starts to deal with the circumstances around this particular case," he told BBC Three Counties Radio."I have spoken to people from the Home Office about crossbows and this particular set of circumstances, because, obviously, while these tragic events are very rare, they do happen and it's important that we tighten up the law so that it cannot happen." 'Too Easy' Health minister Stephen Kinnock has echoed Turmaine's sentiments and told Times Radio: "I think crossbows are a lethal weapon and they should be regulated."Kinnock said he was "sure" Home Secretary Yvette Cooper would be "looking at this".He added: "It does seem to be too easy to get hold of a lethal weapon like a crossbow and it does seem that something does need to be done about that." A Home Office spokesman described the murders of Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt as an "horrific and senseless" act of violence. He added: "While it is already illegal to carry a crossbow in public without reasonable excuse, we have been reviewing whether controls need to be strengthened further." The crossbow and the law Medieval in origin, a crossbow is a short-range weapon consisting of a bow attached to a wooden or metal frame that can fire arrow-like projectiles called boltsHistorically, crossbows were used as military weaponsThey were also widely used in hunting and are still fired at targets for sportUnder the Crossbows Act 1987, it is legal to buy a crossbow in England, Scotland and Wales, and owners are not required to register the weapon or hold a licence. Similar legislation covers Northern IrelandIt is illegal for under-18s to own or buy one; for under-21s to shoot one, unless under the supervision of someone older; for owners to rent or lend one to anyone else; to shoot one in a public space or any private place without permissionWhile being transported, a crossbow must be kept in a condition in which it cannot be firedThe legislation applies to all crossbows with a "draw weight" - the force needed to pull the bow into anchor position - of 1.4kg (3lb) or moreThe maximum penalty for the sale or hire of a crossbow to anyone under 18 is six months' imprisonment or a fineIf a person is found with a crossbow in a public place, they could be prosecuted for possessing an offensive weapon in a public area, which carries a maximum sentence of four years' imprisonment, according to criminal barrister Christopher MoranThe Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 also prohibits using crossbows for huntingIn Scotland, separate legislation makes it illegal to be drunk in a public place in possession of a crossbow Archery GB, the national governing body for the sport of archery, said crossbows were "legitimately" used by archers shooting at organisation said "high-power crossbows" were available which were "not permitted for use" within "archery disciplines". Arran Coggan, the organisation's director of sport development, said it was concerning that people "not connected" with the sport of archery could acquire high-powered crossbows and use them in "such a devastating manner".He said crossbows were used, predominantly, by archers who may be unable to use a "traditional" bow and arrow. "Disproportionate impact" "The majority of our members use bows and arrows, but crossbows are used, predominantly by older or disabled participants who may be unable to use a traditional bow and arrow," he said."We are therefore concerned that introducing restrictions on the ownership and use of crossbows would have a disproportionate impact on those currently least physically active."He added: "If the government does licence crossbow ownership, we would work with them to assist clubs in supporting any legal requirements to enable disabled and older people to remain active." John Bingham, president of the National Crossbow Federation, whose members also shoot at targets for sport, also thought laws should be said he was in favour of a licencing system and added: "With a licencing system the police would at least be aware who had a crossbow." The boss of an indoor shooting range, which offers crossbow target shooting as one of its activities, said licencing crossbows or making them harder to buy would not affect his business."I see no reason why they should not introduce introduce face-to-face sales or providing some sort of ID," Alan Gregory, managing director of Target Sports World, in Romford, east London, told the BBC."That would mean there would be record of the sale - which is important." Figures show that crossbow attacks led to fewer than 10 deaths between 2011 and 2018, Shane Gilmer was killed by Anthony Lawrence, in Southburn, East Yorkshire. The same year, former nurse Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo broke into the home of his pregnant ex-wife, Sana Muhammad, in Ilford, east London, firing a crossbow into her stomach. Her unborn child survived the attack that killed December 2021, Jaswant Singh Chail was arrested after going to Windsor Castle with plans to assassinate Elizabeth II with a crossbow. He was jailed for nine years for treason. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
