Shotgun License and partners depression

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colouredcob

colouredcob

Active member
Joined
Feb 5, 2013
Messages
26
Location
Haddenham
My husband has depression and post traumatic stress disorder.  He has had depression for 15 years, it is well controlled with medication usually.   But a stressful event 2 years ago caused his PTSD to ignite a bout of depression last year that caused him to have a spell in hospital. The same stressful event has bubbled away and caused him to relapse in December 2012 and once again he went into hospital for which he is still receiving inpatient treatment today.

Just now at 10.20pm I have had a phone call from a PC asking me if I would revoke my license due to my husbands depression.  Uhhhhhhhm no I say what has it to do with him, I dont remember having to tell them on my recent renewal anything about my partner, lodger, house sharer, mother or sister.  I did agree that they could check with my doctor about MY mental health.  At the end of the day my husband has no idea where my cabinet keys are kept nor does he really care.  I dont leave the gun unattended with him and so really want to know how to deal with this situation as a firearms copper is going to call me tomorrow.

I am f**ing furious that this has even occured as his words were, if I say no I may be forced to revoke it, how bloody fair is that?  I have to give up a hobby I want to enjoy because someone I live with has a mental health issue.  Good job I am not a lodger in a HMO with any crims, dealers, hookers or depressives!

Advice please anyone before I loose the bloody plot over this.

 
As far as I am aware, so long as no-one else has access to your cabinet keys, it should not be an issue.

It may be worth contacting BASC or CPLA (depending which you are a member of), they have departments just for this kind of thing.

Keep us posted cc.

 
Advice please anyone before I loose the bloody plot over this.
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My only advice is don't lose the plot - it won't help your state of mind or help you retain your own SGC, should John Q Law be reading this thread... 

 
Which Association do you belong to?

Most have staff that specialise in this area so you should discuss it with them.

If you don't belong I would take advice on here as to which would be the best to join in the circumstances.

Whilst I understand your fury about this the important thing to do in the first instance is to remove what they see as a risk. Can you for the time being store the gun elsewhere like at a club, ground, RFD etc so they have no grounds to revoke your SGC.

Meanwhile you can fight the legal battle over their right or not to do this to you but at least you can carry on shooting whereas no licence means pretty much no shooting.

 
Thanks so much people, I have had my gun for some time and it has never been an issue, I have looked again at the application form and renewal on line and it not once asks does your partner or anyone you live with have blah blah blah so whats the problem now!  I dont belong to an organisation as I have not shot for some time as I was missing a lot and it became a confidence issue.  I do have lessons with someone and my husband has been supportive of my hobby.

I am gutted, I feel I am being punished for loving someone that has problems and its so blumin unfare.  Thank you again for your replies.

I have just asked the lady that gives me lessons if I can sell her my gun for £1 till this passes. At least if it doesn't she can sell it rather than I just loose it.

Thanks again x

 
CC, you don't have to sell it to her. 

There's no reason why you can't just give it to her for her to hold for you so long as you put it on her certificate and inform the relevent departments if it is for over 72hrs.

Then once this has blown over transfer it back.

How long have you held your SGC for?

You can also ask the PC/FEO why this has become a problem all of a sudden.  They have to tell you what their concerns are and why they have waited until now to raise them.

 
The chief officer can decide to revoke your SGC but you have a right of appeal which must be lodged within 21days of you getting written notice of revocation. It's a high court appeal so you would need a solicitor and the related expense.

If they take the gun away they have no right to dispose of it or destroy it until after the appeal and they have to give you notice how they are going to sell it etc You again have a right of appeal if you disagree with the chosen method as the gun is still legally yours.

Tomorrow you have to stress your will power, the security of the gun and the fact that your husband could not gain access from you by force if he chose to do so. Therefore better to say gun to be kept elsewhere in the meantime. I would not sell to your coach as then you have no gun and no need of a SGC! Remember to advise them that you have lent gun for safe keeping. Say you will never take gun home again whilst this is an issue.

In this way you can still keep and enjoy your hobby.

Sorry to hear you are having this hassle. No doubt the Police are a bit twitchy at present as they have been proved to be negligent in a number of recent cases.

 
Thank you Phil and Robert, what a bloody nightmare.  I will speak to the powers that be tomorrow, I will be better informed to be fair you advice has been spot on.  I will ask my instructor if she is happy to do this I am sure she will be and take it from there. 

Best wishes and I will indeed let you know more when I do.

Phil I did ask and they said they share information with other agencies so can only assume the hospital have mentioned it as I spoke to my husband about shooting with my coach in ear shot of a staff member.  So much for patient confidentiality!!!!!!!! Trust me someone is getting the wrong side of me tommorrow

I feel I need to keep it secret and be ashamed to own my gun like I am some damned drug dealer because it brings trouble to my door!  I have had my license for about 6 years.

x

 
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Hi Zoe, 

Sorry for your troubles, must be absolutely gutting to have to cope with this on top everything. First thing today call the BASC as they're most likely to want to help and as others have mentioned try and work out a solution such as your guns being kept at a gunsmiths gun room, shooting friends or your instructor etc, losing your temper won't be a good thing nor helpful. 

I hope things work out and that your husband puts things behind him too.

 
Zoe,

 Speak to Mike Eveleigh Firearms Department BASC  01244 573000.

Explain your situation and leave it to them to deal with.

As long as you can assure yourself ( who next to your husband is the most important person in this matter) that your husband cannot gain access to the keys to your cabinet, and the gun is secured in there , there is not an issue. 

You will have complied with the Law, otherwise there is no point in having a cabinet is there?

The PC may well be only acting upon instructions, do not worry, stay calm and courteous and in control of your emotions.

If you speak to BASC and then act upon the advice they give you I am sure that you will have a good day, I am sure that the Constabulary will be pleased to know that BASC will be representing you if this matter should go to court.

 
Totally agree with hamster, BASC are definitely the way to go , twice they have sent there legal team over here to the isle of man to fight a case for a member, and to say they just won the case would be an understatement , they absolutely took the other side apart.

 
Sorry late to the post as I am at a hearing in Birmingham.

As Salop said contact either Mike Everleigh or Bill Harriman at BASC.

You do not have to sell your guns or move them from your cabinet but you 'must' ensure that only you know where the keys are. In this instance I would suggest that you take them with you if you cannot hide them safely. I would hate for you to have the experience that a friend of mine had.....to return home to find her husband had used her gun to kill himself.

If in any doubt you can lodge your shotgun with either an RFD or .....a shooting friend by classing it as a shared gun so it appears on both of your SGC's.

 
BASC it is then peeps, thank you.  I was calm and polite with the officer that called, he agreed with everything I said but explained that the fire arms department will be calling me today.  I will be calm and polite to them also but I really cannot see why the fuss all of a sudden.

I am not a member but will happily join.

Thanks again.  Salopian I will call Mike today.

x

 
Ok BACS said can give advise but need to join first. Fare enough. But they won't be able to represent me at court or offer any legal representation as I am joining after the event. So now not sure what to do. The firearms manager said she will send my local officer round for a chat but I don't think I got much hope. Because I foolishly mentioned my love of the sport to my husbands primary nurse. Maybe I should have hidden the fact I own a gun from the hospital. I live n learn

 
colouredcob said:
Ok BACS said can give advise but need to join first. Fare enough. But they won't be able to represent me at court or offer any legal representation as I am joining after the event. So now not sure what to do. The firearms manager said she will send my local officer round for a chat but I don't think I got much hope. Because I foolishly mentioned my love of the sport to my husbands primary nurse. Maybe I should have hidden the fact I own a gun from the hospital. I live n learn
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I doubt if they can take away your ticket! They would need to prove that you are not fit to keep a gun, that will not be easy of course. The fact that a person in the house has depression is not a good reason, unless that person has knowledge of where you keep the key, which is not the case of course. It is no more dangerous to have a person in the house who suffers from depression, than it is to have a child in the house, as far as gun security is concerned, just so long as only you have knowledge as to where the key is kept! I think they will have a hard job trying to actually prove that having a gun in your home is dangerous. If they do try to take away your certificate, you could try speaking to your local Citizens Advice Bureau, they handle all sorts of things and it's free!

 
colouredcob said:
My husband has depression and post traumatic stress disorder.  He has had depression for 15 years, it is well controlled with medication usually.   But a stressful event 2 years ago caused his PTSD to ignite a bout of depression last year that caused him to have a spell in hospital. The same stressful event has bubbled away and caused him to relapse in December 2012 and once again he went into hospital for which he is still receiving inpatient treatment today.

Just now at 10.20pm I have had a phone call from a PC asking me if I would revoke my license due toSouth  my husbands depression.  Uhhhhhhhm no I say what has it to do with him, I dont remember having to tell them on my recent renewal anything about my partner, lodger, house sharer, mother or sister.  I did agree that they could check with my doctor about MY mental health.  At the end of the day my husband has no idea where my cabinet keys are kept nor does he really care.  I dont leave the gun unattended with him and so really want to know how to deal with this situation as a firearms copper is going to call me tomorrow.

I am f**ing furious that this has even occured as his words were, if I say no I may be forced to revoke it, how bloody fair is that?  I have to give up a hobby I want to enjoy because someone I live with has a mental health issue.  Good job I am not a lodger in a HMO with any crims, dealers, hookers or depressives!

Advice please anyone before I loose the bloody plot over this.
Click to expand...
I think you come under the same police area as me, and you'll find the firearms officers very reasonable. They might recommend locking up the keys and then hiding the locked box. Don't panic yet. You can always look at keeping the gun either in a friend's gun safe (gun goes on their licence as "stored" IIRC) or Cambridge Gun Club were looking at storing guns for people. I also know a local solicitor who is very up on gun law and is a shooter should you get desperate. 

 
Mark H,

 Unless your wife and son hold SGC and share your storage you are in breech of the terms of having a shotgun certificate.

No none certificate holder should have access to the keys to a firearms cabinet.

Zoe ,

 Join BASC, you have not broken any laws, the Constabulary have no reason to revoke your licence, there has been no 'incident' so if you are a member of BASC,  if and when you require their services, as a member you will be entitled to assistance from the relevant department. I agree that you cannot or should not be entitled to representation retrospectively, but as I say you haven't done anything wrong and I do think that (pardon the unintended pun) someone has jumped the gun.

 
Ok guys, the very latest.  I spoke to my husbands mental health nurse who said he never emailed anyone and he is not required to to do so by law.  He told me he had no concerns at all about me holding a shotgun in the house, he felt I was more than capable of keeping the thing safe.

So this now boils down to some malicious bas***d and of course without them disclosing the informant I am stuffed.

Thanks Liz I am going to take the gun to my friend and we are going to "share" it.  She gives me lessons so that seems fare.  She will put it on her license as well as it being on mine.  Thanks for the heads up on the solicitor  :biggrin:

I am going to stick to my guns (so to speak) and tell him I am a BASC member and have taken advise and I am refusing to voluntarily give up my certificate.

I am off to join BASC now.

Thanks again to everyone that took the time to reply.  I am so very grateful as you can imagine this is just a drain on me at I time I don't need it.

 
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