I have written here, here, here and here about the anti-gun fervor of the British government. I thought I had hit the rock bottom of the absurd barrel when I learned their biathletes have to spend 20 to 30 days a year training in Switzerland because their sport’s equipment is illegal in their home country.
No lie. They can’t even get special public funding because of the country they represent in the Olympics considers their sport illegal.
That lunacy has been trumped. Behold the new standard.
A former soldier finds a gun in his yard, turns it in to police and now faces 5 years in jail for gun possession:
The court heard how Mr Clarke was on the balcony of his home in Nailsworth Crescent, Merstham, when he spotted a black bin liner at the bottom of his garden.
In his statement, he said: “I took it indoors and inside found a shorn-off shotgun and two cartridges.
“I didn’t know what to do, so the next morning I rang the Chief Superintendent, Adrian Harper, and asked if I could pop in and see him.
“At the police station, I took the gun out of the bag and placed it on the table so it was pointing towards the wall.”
Mr Clarke was then arrested immediately for possession of a firearm at Reigate police station, and taken to the cells.
Paul Clarke said he “thought it was [his] duty to hand it in and get it off the streets.” Now, because of the way the law is written, he faces five years in prison for trying to get a gun off the streets.
Prosecuting, Brian Stalk, explained to the jury that possession of a firearm was a “strict liability” charge – therefore Mr Clarke’s allegedly honest intent was irrelevant.
Just by having the gun in his possession he was guilty of the charge, and has no defence in law against it, he added.
The judge in the case agreed:
Judge Christopher Critchlow said: “This is an unusual case, but in law there is no dispute that Mr Clarke has no defence to this charge.
“The intention of anybody possessing a firearm is irrelevant.”
So what does this teach the public? If you find a gun in the street, leave it for someone else to pick up. Perhaps a kid, or a criminal. Meanwhile, you call the police and hope they stop by and pick up the gun…and don’t lock you up.
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