Catapult law could be tightened after Home Office roundtable

Ministers are under fresh pressure to tighten catapult law after a Home Office roundtable on 9 June 2026 heard evidence linking catapult misuse to injuries, antisocial behaviour and wildlife crime. The Government says existing legislation already strikes the right balance between public safety and lawful users.

What was discussed at the catapult roundtable?

The Misuse of Catapults Roundtable, chaired by Policing Minister Sarah Jones, brought together government departments, senior police officers, frontline officers, clinical experts and animal welfare and countryside organisations.

Attendees heard that a single Kent constituency recorded 105 catapult-related incidents over 12 months, and that Kent Police took 277 animal-related catapult incident calls between 1 January and 7 June this year. Clinical experts described teenage victims left with facial and eye injuries, some requiring surgery and some suffering permanent loss of vision.

What would a legitimate purpose test mean for countryside users?

Among the measures discussed was a “legitimate purpose” test for carrying a catapult in public, modelled on existing knife legislation. Such a test would separate criminal use from the many countryside users, including ratters, pest controllers and anglers, who carry a catapult lawfully.

Jim Clark, wildlife crime campaign manager at the Naturewatch Foundation, which helped table the proposals, said: “The current system is failing to prevent children from accessing potentially dangerous weapons. Online retailers must be held accountable for the products they sell and the age-verification measures they have in place.”

What is the Government’s position on catapult law?

The Government has so far resisted new law. In a written answer earlier this year, Defra minister Mary Creagh said there were “no current plans” to change the rules, arguing there was “already sufficient legislation in place which protects wildlife from targeted use of catapults”.

She acknowledged the misuse was “causing great concern to some communities” and said Defra was working with the Home Office “to find solutions”.

What happens next?

Naturewatch Foundation says it will press MPs to progress primary legislation. For now no change to the law has been confirmed and lawful users are unaffected. Shooting and countryside bodies will watch closely to ensure any future controls target criminal misuse rather than legitimate rural use.