The families of people killed during a mass shooting in Plymouth have accused the Home Office of putting lives at risk after the department failed to respond to a coroner’s inquiry calling for changes in gun laws.
The home secretary, Suella Braverman, the policing minister, Chris Philp, and chief constables were given until 3 May to respond to a detailed examination of gun laws by the Plymouth senior coroner, Ian Arrow, who had ruled that five people were unlawfully killed by Jake Davison.
Arrow warned there was “a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken” and said he was concerned that the Firearms Act of 1968 “requires root and branch reform”.
In February, Arrow conducted the inquest into the unlawful deaths of Davison’s mother Maxine, Lee Martyn, Sophie Martyn, Stephen Washington and Kate Shepherd.
No official response from Home Office ministers was received by the coroner by 3 May. It is understood that the Home Office applied for an extension to the deadline.
Patrick Maguire, a partner at law firm HCC, who represents Rebecca Martyn, the mother of Sophie and wife of Lee, the Washington family and the Shepherd family, said delays in implementing critical recommendations made by Arrow “puts lives at risk”.
“We are deeply disappointed that the Home Office has not responded within the timescale presented. We urge all the relevant agencies and authorities to address the recommendations as a matter of urgency to prevent further shootings on the streets of Britain.
“Our priority is to ensure everything is done to prevent what happened to our loved ones happening to anyone else,” he told the Guardian.
Davison, 22, used a legally owned shotgun to kill his mother before killing three-year-old Sophie, her father, Lee, 43, Stephen, 59, and Kate, 66, in August 2021 in the Keyham area of Plymouth. He then turned the shotgun on himself as he was confronted by an unarmed police officer.
A jury concluded that “catastrophic” failures by Devon and Cornwall police meant Davison, 22, was wrongly allowed to own a pump-action shotgun.
In February, Arrow wrote to the home secretary and all 43 police forces in England and Wales, highlighting the concerns he had raised and asking for a response within 56 days. He suggested that if England and Wales had the same stricter firearms regulations as Northern Ireland, the deaths may have been avoided.
The delay has also concerned campaigners and the local MP. Gill Marshall-Andrews, the chair of the Gun Control Network, said: “The 56 days are up and so far there has been no word from the government about how they will respond to the coroner’s recommendations.
“It will be easy for [ministers] to do a little tinkering with the system or announce another ‘consultation’, but we need more than that. We need clear thinking and a willingness to confront shooting interests. The Home Office knows very well what should be done. Shooters have had far too much sway over firearms policy for far too long. Public safety should be prioritised now.”
Luke Pollard, the MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said he hoped the delay did not mean reforms had been “kicked into the long grass”.
“My fear is that any delay may be used to water down the coroner’s strong and clear recommendations. If we are to stop another mass shooting we need to improve gun laws and that starts with the full implementation of the coroner’s recommendations,” he said.
Pressure groups for gun owners have called for caution before rushing into reforms. Christopher Graffius, the executive director of communications and public affairs for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), said: “It’s terribly important that the conclusions the Home Office reach really improve public safety. The problem with these sorts of incidents is that people kneejerk and think, ‘We’ve got to do something.’ Having to do something doesn’t necessarily mean that you make life better for anyone or protect public safety any better.
“What we’ve suggested to the Home Office is that they use the ‘Keyham test’ [referring to the area of Plymouth where the shooting occurred]. In other words, would what you are recommending have stopped Keyham, because otherwise you’re just fiddling with the law with no guarantee you are going to impact anything. If they are taking their time to ensure they come up with the right proposals to protect public safety, I’m fine with the delay. I’d rather they do it properly.”
It is understood that the government could respond shortly. A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK has some of the strictest gun controls in the world, which we keep under constant review to preserve public safety. Since the tragedy in Plymouth, the government has already taken steps to tighten firearms licensing including introducing statutory guidance for the police, and requiring that applications will only be considered if they include medical information from the applicant’s GP.
“We thank the senior coroner in Plymouth for his prevention of future deaths reports. We are carefully considering the findings and expect to respond shortly.”
