Yerg wrote: ↑Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:04 pm

"Police feared invading incel gunman's PRIVACY: Officers 'did not check his social media history' before handing back shotgun ahead of Plymouth rampage that left six dead"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... oy-16.html
[/quote]

Mr Sawyer told the Sun: 'We take and return firearms on a not irregular basis when people have emotional crises or we receive reports from family members, then they can be returned.

So, it's a regular thing to revoke on emotional crisis grounds and then return. That's easy, revocation should be permanent. No right minded person can argue with that now. And no people with any mental health issues should be granted licenses to hold firearms. It's not difficult.

'What we don't do, because firearms licencing is a lawful thing, is trawl the internet looking at people's lives. That's an invasion of privacy.'

Are they saying viewing social media is an unlawful thing? That's a bankrupt argument. Firstly, a home visit and inspection can be called an invasion of privacy, that is why it is specifically mentioned on the application and permission is sought in the application:

"Please allow the police to inspect your guns and security when requested as in the absence of a
warrant consent is required for the police to inspect premises"

Secondly, the applicant must give full permission for medical records access:

I give the police permission to contact my GP and/or specialist to obtain factual details of any medical history in relation to my suitability to possess a firearm and/or shotgun. This authority is valid for the life of the certificate(s). I understand that my GP may share sensitive
personal data with the police concerning my physical and mental health for the purpose of enabling the police to make a fully informed
decision on my application or continued suitability, and I hereby consent to this processing of my personal data.

Furthermore, this is later on in the application:

I understand that all information submitted will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 and connected legislation. I understand and give consent for information contained within
my application form or obtained in the course of deciding the application to be shared with: my GP, other government
departments, regulatory bodies or enforcement agencies in the course of deciding the application or in pursuance of
maintaining public safety or the peace

Nobody applying for a Firearm Certificate either expects or can complain about invasion of privacy. It is a duty of the police to thoroughly investigate your background and decide your suitability. If you don't like it, take up tennis.

Tory MP Tim Loughton said in response: 'It's a matter of public record. It's a misunderstanding of social media to suggest it would be invading their privacy.'

Quite right.

There is another twist in this story that might come out to further embarrass the police.

Part of the application is to provide a referee, to act as an independent judge of the applicant's character. Someone out there is that person and they must be shitting themselves. One the other hand, I wonder just how low grade the referee was, but still satisfactory to the police? Or, worse still, was the applicant unable to provide one and the police allowed it slip by?

When applying for a shotgun certificate you should have gained the permission of one person to act as a
referee for you. You must complete part F with their details.

2. The referee(s) who have agreed to act for you must have known you personally for at least two years and
must be resident in Great Britain. A referee must not be a member of your immediate family, a registered
firearms dealer, a serving police officer, a police employee, a Police and Crime Commissioner or a
member of their staff, or a member of, or a member of staff of, the Scottish Police Authority. Referees
must be of good character and any references they agree to provide must be given freely and not on
payment

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... _-_PDF.pdf

mannanman wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:22 am Closet homosexual for sure.

And a reddit user