Questions about the law

[Bluefishtank2012]

I bought quite a few guns before the ban came into force in 07.

 

Here is the story. I was recently busted for growing weed. When searching my house the police took away the guns. They were all in boxes in my attic, well away from hands reach. All in their boxes, and can honestly say were never even used (what a shame yes)

 

My question is, can the police seize and destroy these guns without my permission. Are they even still legal to own? Thanks

[jcheeseright]

Completely legal to own... Unless you've been released from prison/given a suspended sentence where the conditions of your release license specifically state that you can't have an imitation firearm.

[Bluefishtank2012]

So just to clarify. If i dont airsoft, can i still own guns that are immitation looking, i.e not 2 tone. Thanks.

 

The police seized them and without any say from me have added them to their gun amnesty photos. If you go on the m.e.n website. The gun amnesty story. The picture of all the guns. The bb guns are mine.

 

Do they have any right to dispose of them.

[Bluefishtank2012]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/greater-manchester-police-gun-amnesty-7575392

 

This story. All the obvious bb guns. I am sure they are mine.

[TacMaster]

So just to clarify. If i dont airsoft, can i still own guns that are immitation looking, i.e not 2 tone. Thanks.

 

You have to qualify for a UKARA defence or similar defence to buy a realistic airsoft gun. You can legally buy a 2tone providing you are over 18 though.

[Mr Monkey Nuts]

I think the key question here is why were they seized?

GMP can sometimes be tools, but they don't seize property without reason, becaus they have to justify it to a lot of people including a magistrate further down the line.

 

It's also worth noting something like 70% of the items taken by the amnesty were BB guns including some two tones. They may not specifically be yours in the images. One of the first ones handed in locally was a very nice looking WE scar. There are also some that are believed to have been stolen from a local site a few months ago.

 

If they have seized them, it will be in connection with an offence or a potential treat, if so, they should be held as evidence rather than heading to the amnesty.

 

You need to take this up witn GMP and possibly a proper lawyer.

[Bluefishtank2012]

Thanks monkey nuts, i think they were seized because they were trying to say that i was using them to protect my weed grow. They said this in interview.

 

I dont know how to post a picture, on their twitter feed after i was arrested they posted a picture of my guns, and in that m,e,n picture i saw 2 of my m16 type guns, a plastic crappy shotgun toy and a mp90 like from stargate.

[Bluefishtank2012]

Ive added a photo of their twitter feed. Its a snapshot. I will hunt down their full picture so better detail

[DEF]

Debbie doesn't look very happy, does she? You'd think she'd be made up to have all those weapons off the street...

[Bluefishtank2012]

Netter picture. I have another riffle with a different barrel in a box not seen. I am pretty sure my guns are in that amnesty photo. They had no right to take them without returning them. I was about to get involved with airsoft to. Im so gutted

[Bluefishtank2012]

The red tags in the picture, was from 08 when they stormed my house looking for guns, they thought they found real guns, but they didnt. They tested them, banged up the boxes, broke a few accesories, but gave them back.

[Serconker]

I'm going to ignore the weed part, because that's silly.

As it's said, it's illegal to [bUY or] SELL RIFs to someone under 18 and that's not under the UKARA database, and it's illegal to [bUY or] SELL an IF(Two-tone) to someone under 18.

Though I'm not sure if this counts if said items were purchased before the act was put into place, though to bring up a valid defense of that you'd need to have proof of purchase that they were purchased before the act was passed.

[Mike636]

If they aren't being used as evidence but have been seized then they should be returned - don't know when, probably after a trial. To be honest it's not a difficult leap to think they may be involved somehow so they get seized.

[Bluefishtank2012]

Um, considering they have them tags still on from 08 and i bought them with cc which i dont have anymore, i guess i will believed i bought them before the ban. Its the reason i got them, because of the ban.

 

I get what your saying about it being clear i can own them, but not much else, i.e sell, buy and all.

[Mike636]

I'm going to ignore the weed part, because that's silly.

As it's said, it's illegal to [bUY or] SELL RIFs to someone under 18 and that's not under the UKARA database, and it's illegal to [bUY or] SELL an IF(Two-tone) to someone under 18.

Though I'm not sure if this counts if said items were purchased before the act was put into place, though to bring up a valid defense of that you'd need to have proof of purchase that they were purchased before the act was passed.

 

 

It's Illigal to sell a RIF to anyone without a defence under the VCRA 2007

 

It's always been illigal to sell an IF to a person under 18

 

It's never been illigal to buy.

[Bluefishtank2012]

Yeah mike, i get why they seized them, but i dont think they will push to connect them to the weed, but i really think they have jumped the gun and put them in that photo. The shotgun, 2 m16 and the mp90 in the back left of the photo.

 

And for the record, im not a dealer or dodgy guy, im a nice guy who hasnt been in trouble, only growing so i dont have to go to dodgy dealers.

 

The police cant say im dangerous guy connected to criminals, hence why they would be able to keep the guns

[Serconker]

It's never been illigal to buy.

Hence the brackets.

 

---

 

From what I know, the part of the VCRA that regulates the sale of [R]IFs (In this context air-soft weaponry) was made in such a way to limit who can buy such items to people that have a legitimate use for them, because at the time people were stealing and buying RIFs and using them to mug and hold up shops, blah blah, the fact you had illegal items in the same building, and given it was right after the ban gave the police enough suspicion to seize the items, and at the time it would be reasonable to suspect such a thing, but without evidence it's a mostly baseless claim.

 

[Thanks for the correction there Mike, had a little derp moment]

[Mike636]

What's probably happened is that all the seized items from your case were in the same room as amnesty guns, probably a store room and someone took a picture for FB

[Mike636]

Hence the brackets.

 

---

 

From what I know, the part of the VCRA that regulates the sale of air-soft weaponry was made in such a way to limit who can buy such items to people that have a legitimate use for them, because at the time people were stealing and buying RIFs and using them to mug and hold up shops, blah blah, the fact you had illegal items in the same building, and given it was right after the ban gave the police enough suspicion to seize the items, and at the time it would be reasonable to suspect such a thing, but without evidence it's a mostly baseless claim.

The VCRA doesn't mention Airsoft it concerns RIFs, you could carve a piece of soap into a gun shape and paint it black thus manufacturing a RIF.

 

There was never a ban, just a restriction on sales.

[Bluefishtank2012]

Yeah mike, im hoping, the twitter picture is all mine, the amnesty photo is everything they seized. I bought the guns before that act came into force, i think the day before lol. I had them sent from america.

 

I hope the amnesty photo guns arnt mine, where are the boxes. Those boxes were mint before they were first seized. I value my guns as much as anyone would. I am just so gutted.

 

I hope i can get them back, otherwise i will sue them for it. I have spent years wanting to get into airsoft but my heal didnt allow it. Ive been ok for awhile and was very keen to start airsofting. It just looks like so much fun.

[Bluefishtank2012]

Whats funny is the cops say, some of these guns were bb guns, as if to say some were air riffles or such or even real. They were ALL. Plastic pelet electric guns.

 

If i ever get them back i will post a twitter on their feed saying look what gmp just gave me, but them again, i domt want to push my luck and piss them off

[team flex]

Yeh don't do T hat the they will be round your house mate in a flash

[Bluefishtank2012]

Tell me about it. I will get pulled over 500 times a year. Last thing i want is trouble, ive always said, if the police are good guys, i will have nothing but respect for them.

[Bluefishtank2012]

I would happily risk a kicking myself to come to the aid of a copper who is getting beat on.

[CaptainSwoop]

We had a 'Gun Amnesty' localy a few years ago. The Police paraded the results on TV. They were all Airsoft guns and a few old Air rifles and I think a couple of old De-activated revolvers.

 

They were making out like they had taken a major haulf o machine guns off the street.