Executive supports use of municipal legislation

Aberdeen is set to become the first UK city to ban airguns after growing support from the new Scottish government.

The Executive has said it would view any action against air weapons "sympathetically", prompting Aberdeen City Council to renew efforts to introduce a bylaw which could be in place as early as September. Registered gun users have claimed the proposals will be unworkable and unpoliceable.

Similar discussions are under way at Edinburgh city council as urban communities look to move quickly following several incidents in recent months, including a woman shot in the head in Rosyth while driving and a nine-year-old hit in the leg in Drumchapel.

More than half of the 1068 firearm crimes recorded by the police in 2005/ 2006 involved an air weapon, and it is estimated there are around half a million airguns in Scottish homes.

Despite this, in March former first minister Jack McConnell opted to delay any ban to give police more time to tackle the issue. Firearms legislation remains reserved to Westminster, but local authority bylaws are seen as a way to address the matter locally.

A motion put forward by Aberdeen City Labour councillor Norman Collie to ban the sale and use of airguns except for pest control and sporting activities has been backed by his colleagues, with a final decision due in September before the Executive rubber-stamps any bylaw.

Collie said: "I never heard any word of support from my own political party, but justice minister Kenny MacAskill has said he will look at it, which gave me the encouragement to do a bit more."

Collie first considered a ban after discovering Aberdeen was the city with the most airgun attacks on animals according to an SSPCA survey. The charity's Airgun Agony campaign found 40% of Scottish vets had dealt with at least one such case each year.

He added: "My concern is that those who are using these weapons illegally on killing and maiming animals may move on to humans. More needs to be done to stop the illegal use of these weapons.

"The newer models are designed to be even more accurate, which is frightening. The last thing I want to do is stand up at the next council meeting and say, I told you somebody was going to get killed'."

Changes to the law will start later this year, increasing the minimum age to purchase an airgun from 17 to 18 and restricting their sale to registered dealers.

Legal gun users have questioned whether bylaws are necessary, with more than 20 pieces of airgun legislation currently in place. Colin Shedden, Scottish director of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), said: "How can you ban something in a city when otherwise it is legal to purchase, use and store airguns everywhere else?

"To address the problems we need enforcement of existing legislation and education, both for young people and their parents. The reason there are still incidents is due to the fact people are quite ignorant about what they can do and some people treat them as toys."

The BASC is hopeful of Executive support to continue its education programme in inner-city schools, but David Grimason, whose two-year-old son Alistair was shot dead in his pushchair in Turkey four years ago, isn't convinced.

He said: "Gun clubs breed shooters, and if you are introducing children to airguns and teaching them about it, there is always the chance they take an interest after never even thinking about it before.

"Nobody needs a gun, and the more of them we can eradicate the better."

An Executive spokesperson said it was committed to taking action against the fear and harm caused by airgun misuse. She said: "Action against air weapons will be viewed sympathetically and supported if at all possible."