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£20 toy gets boy police record

Beatriz Ayala
28/ 9/2004

WITH ITS infra-red sight, separate munition barrel and detachable magazine, it takes a trained eye to distinguish this fake sub-machine gun from the real thing.

This gun turned out to be plastic, but the fake that cost just £20 from a market stall has landed a teenager with a criminal record.

PC Graham Cook had just a split second to judge whether the gun in the hands of a 17-year-old boy was real or a fake.

The elaborate replica, which fires plastic ball bearings, had been bought just the day before by the boy's mother.

PC Cook was patrolling alone near Castleton's Mayfield Rugby Club car park on Sunday when he saw the youngster aiming the gun at another person.

He said: "When I drove round to approach him, I got a clear view of the gun and was surpised by how detailed it was and its size."

The boy was arrested under the Firearms Act because it is an offence to carry an imitation firearm in a public place. He was released with a caution, but his details will now be kept on police files for 10 years.

PC Cook said: "In any other circumstances, a very big operation including armed officers and the police helicopter may have been sent out, which would be a huge waste of police resources and could have a serious impact on the rest of the community.

"The youth was unaware of the law, didn't realise the impact having the replica would have and it is unfortunate he now has a criminal record.

"But the pellets could cause a serious injury at close range so people should steer clear of them and if they own one, take it to the police station where it will be destroyed."

Chief Inspector John Martin said: "It is not illegal to buy or sell an imitation gun, but under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, it is illegal to possess an imitation firearm or BB-gun in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

"Around 75 per cent of incidents the force's armed response unit is called out to turn out to be young people with imitation guns.

"It is very difficult, even to the trained eye, to decide whether the gun is real or not and an officer only has a split second to make that decision.

"Imitation guns cause unnecessary fear among local residents.

"We also want to urge retailers to think about the consequences of selling toy guns to youngsters."