The man who beat the police – FieldsportsChannel Podcast, episode 95

When the police took the guns from Chris Sharp after Chris was the victim of an assault, he turned to lawyers for help. One of them, Peter Glenser KC, joins Chris on stage at the Carter Jonas Game Fair Theatre to tell Charlie what happened, and where he has got to now with his case.

[manofkentcatapultsgunsando]

I've always found Kent firearms extremely professional and always willing to help when I've dealt with them, had my certificate since 1984, in the 90s I had one come round to inspect a cabinet I had installed, he saw a deactivated shotgun on my wall and said although legal he would like me to take it down, I told him to get stuffed and get out my house, I then rang and complained to sutton road headquarters who apologised and said they would look into the matter, 3 days later he rang me and apologised for his unlawful that was the only issue I ever had

[tonyclack]

The police will remove legitimate fire arms after a complaint but will not go into a gypsy camp in Gloucester to recover my stolen horse box. Told me to claim on my insurance as it was too risky for them.

[johnmoody]

excellent result...so what happened to the dangerously unhinged neighbour? Assault charge? Making false allegations and perverting the course of justice? ...and God forbid he got his guns back too

[payres]

It was interesting to hear Chris say that when the police turned up, they knew nothing about firearms. It's a similar story here in Australia. Very few police officers know the difference between a shotgun and a rifle or are able to tell a rimfire from a centrefire. Yet, they are responsible for issuing licences and registering firearms. And similarly, in the case of an accusation of assault the first thing they will do is remove any firearms from the premises without even checking the accuracy of the accusation. Then good luck getting them back and your licence reinstated. I knew a fellow who had his licence revoked because he was being treated for cancer. He fought it but eventually ran out of time.

[lawrencemartin]

So many issues here that all must be tackled by the shooting community and BASC and other bodies. The entire undercurrent now for firearms ownership is one where we are endlessly forced to hand over more and more money, to be given no real comback or even treated with even handed fairness as citizens and made to feel like criminals whenever there is a false allegation made against someone who owns firearms.
I am also appalled that every police force can impose any made up conditions they like to print on your licence. For the past thirty odd years, I had been a shooter of all disciplines from competitiontarget shooting in both small bore and full bore, live quarry, clsy shooting amd game shooting, and also the Home Office Approved person running a shooting club in Kent.
I have now retired from my work in Kent and recently moved to Wiltshire, going through the process, of what should be a simple transfering of my certificates over to Wiltshire police. Dear Lord!!! What a fiasco and nightmare. It is taking forever and while my guns have been in storage (££££) I have had to argue that instead of printing me BLANK certificates (😮) and then having to go through the process of having each gun re-approved and then written onto the certificates by the RFD, they need to simply just re print what is already on the certificates as they are!! I was told that was "highly unusual" but they were, on this occasion going to do so. As if it's some sort of favour to me...its madness. I was also then quizzed over the phone by two police staff at the same time over the one phone, as to which firearms would be used for what!! Its already ON THE CERTIFICATES I HANDED IN! How hard can it be!? But when I queried it, the shocking truth came out that "We have different conditions here in Wiltshire so need to work out what to write on your certificates". It is totally unnecessary and such a massive waste of time and money. Why we continue to go along with this utterly insane and antiquated nonsense of having different constabularies and having no firm central RULES (not 'guidence') for the police is beyond belief. We need a single, National Police Force, with one standardised set of criteria to be applied evenly and fairly, and where standard fees and costs are applied and where the Home Office fix the cost of medical info from GP's and where it is compulsory for your GP to comply with the process of completing the form. The cost and efficiency savings across the country for the police and government in having a standardised and unified police force, with the same uniforms and equipment and same systems for all police work, would be huge. Instead, we bimble along with a very old fashioned home spun approach with huge inconsistencies and inefficiencies. The system is totally unfit for purpose as it stands and it is way beyond time that the uneven, underhand and inconsistent application of firearms law and policing across the nation, was sorted out. I am horrified to hear that the police are protected/immune from having to pay costs!!! That is like living in a police state or tin pot dictatorship! How can that be in anyway just and lawful!? Its a shambles. If they knew they were not immune, perhaps they would think more carefully and consider the facts and evidence prior to the knee jerk reactions of seizing firearms on the most sketchy evidence and taking years to give them back ( if ever!) when everything is proven to be ok. In those circumstances, it is totally unacceptable to charge the innocent victim and not pay all costs. Outrageous. In the case shown here, surely all costs should have been charged to either the neighbour who started the entire thing or at the very least split between him and the police. Why do innocent people defending themselves in a court of law, where spurious charges are brought against them and where the police are proven to be in the wrong from the start, end up paying when they are cleared of all wrong doning and shown to be totally innocent? How wrong is that!?
I am delighted that this gentleman has won his case and hopefully all police forces will pay heed and take note that we demand greater consideration, and better service as citzens.

[GrumpyGenXGramps]

This is why we will NEVER give up your RIGHTS!! Crazy how OUR country, the U.S., is based on ENGLISH Common Law.

[jimjoelliejack]

Can you imagine this happening to you if you are a normal citizen who isn’t wealthy and with no savings or financial backing. You would never get your guns back.

[adycooke]

You never mention what happens to the other party involved. Would be interesting to know if they had their guns returned

[geoffmorsby]

Appalling that costs are not awarded against the State in Britain for a failed prosecution. That used to be the case in Victoria Australia but was reversed thirty years ago, loser pays here and results is less wasted Court time where cases are brought where there is no prospect of beyond a reasonable doubt finding. That needs to change, it leads to lazy policing and lazy prosecution services.

[ek]

Ricky Gervais' long lost brother?

[johnsmith-cnyv]

I wonder if the neighbour got to keep his guns after lying ?

[christopherhinton]

you are licenced to hold a shotgun but the police are not.

[naznomad]

Would handing your guns to a couple of traffic cops not have gone against you? I'd have sat with them until a F.O. arrived (would I have been within my rights to do that?)
Could I have insisted that I take my guns to a RFD for storage instead?

[PtangPtangBiscuitBarrelSmith]

Wow you have nothing to say about the blatant criminal who charges £50k+