Should we tighten our gun laws after teen death?

A Dorset coroner has demanded Home Office action on shotgun licensing after identifying regulatory gaps she believes could lead to future deaths.

Rachael Griffin has issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report following Jairus Earl’s apparent suicide at his family’s holiday home last year.

The 15-year-old’s father had brought the guns to their Dorset property for clay shooting during the Easter break. Tragically, Jairus took his own life while his father packed their car to return home to London.

A missed opportunity for intervention

The coroner’s report identified a missed opportunity for intervention: police had visited the holiday home weeks earlier for a related incident regarding Jairus, but were unaware shotguns were present.

According to the report, the acting chief inspector told the inquest there is no obligation on certificate holders to notify police when moving to or visiting another property.

This lack of notification requirements is what worries Mrs Griffin.

“I am concerned that the lack of regulation around shotguns could lead to future deaths,” she said, warning of “a lack of a system of sharing information between police forces regarding licence holders and the location of shotguns” – particularly where licence holders own multiple properties.

Medical access concerns

Mrs Griffin also raised concerns about police access to household members’ medical records during licensing decisions. While forces can examine applicants’ medical histories, they cannot access other residents’ records.

Jairus’s mental health history – including previously disclosed suicidal thoughts – came as a “great surprise” to officers at the inquest, highlighting this gap.

Legal voices urge caution

However, leading firearms law barrister Peter Glenser KC questioned the need for any additional regulation, arguing existing laws already provide adequate safeguards for certificate holders in the UK.

Speaking exclusively to Shooting Times, Mr Glenser said:

“While it would be wrong to comment on this sad incident without knowing all the circumstances, the notion that the UK’s half a million shotgun certificate holders should notify police whenever they take shotguns from one property to another would create an unworkable administrative burden on the police.”

He also pointed to existing licence conditions requiring certificate holders to take reasonable precautions for the safe custody of firearms, including preventing access by other household members.

National systems and next steps

Addressing the coroner’s concerns about inter-force communication, Mr Glenser noted that the National Firearms Licensing Management System already records all certificate holders. A replacement system is currently out for tender, which it is hoped will improve communication between forces.

The Home Office and Health Department have until 4 September to provide details of any proposed actions.

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