Police 'relying on judgement' not guidance when giving shotgun licences

The inquest into the Plymouth shootings today heard the police's 'risk matrix' was not being followed - and a supervisor was even not aware the requirement to check it was part of the form to grant a shotgun license.

Stephen Carder, a firearms licensing supervisor, and longest-serving staff member in the department has today been giving evidence at the inquest into the deaths of five people.

The jury were told the process followed at the time was one 'we always followed' and he was regularly 'relying on my judgement", which he later accepted was unsafe.

The inquest hard there was a 'default' position within the firearms licensing department at the time that revoking a weapons license was a 'big thing to do'.

Mr Carder was asked if a better ethos would have been to remove a weapon and then focus on whether it should be returned - which he now accepts.

The jury heard the 2016 updated guidance and Home Office-backed 'risk matrix' was 'irrelevant' and there had been a 'systematic misunderstanding' in the department - with staff members not aware of the process of referring up potential red flags in gun license applications.

Despite today admitting his 'understanding (of the risk matrix was) based on a flawed premise', in February 2017, Mr Carder sent an email to staff saying: "I am slightly concerned the risk matrix has been in use for the past five years! Would you all please refer to the document when determining the risk level.”

It added: “If there are gaps then please forward to myself so that the list can be amended in due course. I attach a copy of the document for reference."

Mr Carder struggled to answer how the risk matrix should have been applied by staff in their day to day and revealed that concerns about the system in place at the time had been raised during an audit - but no meaningful changes were actioned as a result.

The ongoing inquest has previously heard that Devon & Cornwall issued more weapons certificates than other forces in England and Wales - with a slightly lower refusal rate than the national average.

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