Air rifles and the law?

[rtha6551]

Few weeks ago me and 2 others took an air rifle up onto some moorland and fired it (only at empty cans etc) without really understanding you must have the landowners permission 

Anyway the police have paid one of us a visit just to let us know we were reported by the landowner and after searching his Facebook found pictures of us with it so no use denying it ever happened. They said he does not want to press charges if we apologise to him but was more bothered about a disposable BBQ we left there which is understandable. 

We've been asked to go apologise to him but no details about where to go have been given to us and the area of land is massive, if we can't find it and he does press charges is there actually a criminal charge? After reading up im led to believe it's a civil offence but if anyone could confirm or give extra information id be grateful 


Ps anyone wanting to get on their high horse don't bother, we've all done stupid stuff as youths

[Jimmy306uk]

Message him on Facebook and ask where he wants to do the deed

[rtha6551]

Message him on Facebook and ask where he wants to do the deed

I meant the police searched Facebook as he also noted the reg numbers of my car and one of the other lads where we parked on the side of the road

The pictures were on one lads Facebook just as random pictures from the day out which had the air gun in them as well

[Connor]

If the police have said an apology will do, ask them for his address or how to go about apologising

[cully]

If the police have said an apology will do, ask them for his address or how to go about apologising

this does make sense

[highwayman306]

Get the guy a bottle of whiskey too, not bribery but as a more solid 'sorry'... If you ask in the future he might let you go back there worth a shot...so to speak

[THE_Liam]

I'd just find the nearest house, whoever lives there will most likely own it or know who owns it. A good apology and you might find you end up with hunting permission. I've got it all over Yorkshire and all I've ever done is ask nicely.

[Eeyore]

I'd just find the nearest house, whoever lives there will most likely own it or know who owns it. A good apology and you might find you end up with hunting permission. I've got it all over Yorkshire and all I've ever done is ask nicely.

that well known hunting with an airrifle?

yes if the police have asked you toa pologise then it seems sensible to ask to who and what address!

[THE_Liam]

I'd just find the nearest house, whoever lives there will most likely own it or know who owns it. A good apology and you might find you end up with hunting permission. I've got it all over Yorkshire and all I've ever done is ask nicely.

that well known hunting with an airrifle?

yes if the police have asked you toa pologise then it seems sensible to ask to who and what address!

Yeah, rabbits mainly. Don't get out as much as I used to.

[Toms306]

Seems a lot of effort when chicken is so cheap from the supermarket...

Also, we haven't all done stupid stuff as youths.

[r3k1355]

Land Registry will probably have the owners details.

[Dum-Dum]

Ask the police for his details and if not ask them how they expect you to offer an apology.

It is a criminal offence under the firearms act so it's not even his choice as to weather the police pursue the matter, it's the polices decision.

Potential offences are (and these all include air weapons);
Trespassing with a firearm on Land - firearms act 1968 s20 (2) - 3 months prison and/or fine
Having a firearm or imitation firearm in public place (without reasonable excuse/lawful authority) - firearms act 1968 s19 - 7 years prison and/or fine
Firing an air weapon beyond premises (basically need landowners permission for every bit of ground your pellet passes over) F act 1968 s21A - fine


Oh and depending on the type of air weapon it might either be specially dangerous and need special licence or even prohibited (eg compressed air types)

[Eeyore]

Seems a lot of effort when chicken is so cheap from the supermarket...

quality!

[Grant]

As stated above, you need to abide by the following:

-You must have land owners written permission to shoot on said land. This even includes your parents or landlord, in the court of law.
-Any pellets must not travel across, or land in, property in which you do not have permission to shoot.
-You must not shoot, nor may any pellets come within 50ft of a public bridleway.
-Any land with public right of way (so footpaths or bridleways) is classed as a public area, and therefore may not be shot upon. Only private land may be used to shoot.
-It is illegal to carry a firearm (in your instance an air rifle) in a public place, unless it is cased and you are traveling to or from an organised shoot. (The interpretation of 'organised shoot' is very grey. This could to be to or from a club, or to and from your mates house, where you have permission to shoot.).
-It is not permitted for pellets to leave the muzzle of the rifle above 612ft/second for .22 rifles and 826ft/second for .177 rifles. Anything above this is classed as an illegal firearm.


In other words, don't dick about with an air rifle if you want to avoid jail

If it was me, I'd be asking where to send a written apology to, take a slap on the wrists and then let it all blow over and have a good nights sleep!

[Dum-Dum]

^^^
Permission doesn't has to be written, it can be verbal and also doesn't have to be specific, it can be general

Weather an air rifle is cased or not makes no difference to the law on having having possession in a public place but may stop the police being called and it doesn't just have to be going to or from an organised shoot.

[Mattcheese31]

Me and my dad used to go shooting on scrub land all the time when I was a kid....... Everyone's got an air rifle rarnd ere lol

[procta]

In other words, don't dick about with an air rifle if you want to avoid jail

I remember my cousin nearly getting grounded when he was 17, for dicking about with his air rifle, Mind what he did was well dangerous, but it was one of those ones, where you shouldn't laugh but you end up laughing! 
His dad fell a sleep in chair, and my cousin was cleaning his air rifle, He said see if my dad trusts me with me air rifle. lucky it wasn't loaded at the time, he aimed the rifle with in about an inch from his dads eye, and then POP. His dad sharp woke up!  and went fuckin nuts! my cousin calmly walks up stairs and his dad legged it after him!
One way of waking up your old man!

[Grant]

^^^
Permission doesn't has to be written, it can be verbal and also doesn't have to be specific, it can be general

Weather an air rifle is cased or not makes no difference to the law on having having possession in a public place but may stop the police being called and it doesn't just have to be going to or from an organised shoot.

I would beg to differ. Last time I checked, an air gun must be transported in a secure case, that does not allow it to be operated whilst contained within said case. In most scenarios a car boot clasifies as a locked case. Reason I know that is because someone from the club got pulled up on it. 

But then that was a good 6 years ago or so, so things could have changed.

[Matt-Rallye]

Mine is always in a gun bag in the boot.

I have spoken permission to go shooting / hunting on loads of private ground around my way but when i was alot younger (and not so wiser) we used to go on the commons and roaming around with the guns and were never hassled by anyone.

[Dum-Dum]

^^^
Permission doesn't has to be written, it can be verbal and also doesn't have to be specific, it can be general

Weather an air rifle is cased or not makes no difference to the law on having having possession in a public place but may stop the police being called and it doesn't just have to be going to or from an organised shoot.

I would beg to differ. Last time I checked, an air gun must be transported in a secure case, that does not allow it to be operated whilst contained within said case. In most scenarios a car boot clasifies as a locked case. Reason I know that is because someone from the club got pulled up on it. 

But then that was a good 6 years ago or so, so things could have changed.

The firearms act that covers these things was 1963 and I've pretty much got that in front of me.

[toseland]

along with 15 donuts and a kebab!

cased or not doesnt really matter..

Farmers walk through my mates town center near ipswich with a double barrel or two cocked over their arm, travelling to the local gun shop..

the specifics here is "prearranged".. some chav on his BMX with an air rifle is gonna get hung, taking an air rifle to an organised place (which can be checked) wont land you in trouble,

[rtha6551]

See the thing is we never actually considered that someone might actually privately own the land, as it was so remote (good few miles walk over hills), which was of course naive as I suppose all the land is owned by someone be it council or an individual. 

Anyway we met him last night and a policeman came too, drove us to a nearby site on the land in his 4x4 and had us pick litter up which is the best way it could have gone really given circumstances

Policeman said he's happy we've learned and unless his supervisor thinks we need a bigger bollocking then he's happy to deal with it informally

Not be doing that again for a while

[Grant]

Fair play mate. Lesson learned. As you say, we've all done silly things.

[Matt-Rallye]

See the thing is we never actually considered that someone might actually privately own the land, as it was so remote (good few miles walk over hills), which was of course naive as I suppose all the land is owned by someone be it council or an individual. 

Anyway we met him last night and a policeman came too, drove us to a nearby site on the land in his 4x4 and had us pick litter up which is the best way it could have gone really given circumstances

Policeman said he's happy we've learned and unless his supervisor thinks we need a bigger bollocking then he's happy to deal with it informally

Not be doing that again for a while

Fair play, all sorted then and lesson learned good result!