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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-23008330

Tim Marter was found to be in possession of too much ammunition when police visited his Banwell home.

Swindon Crown Court heard Marter had taken the ammunition "as a favour" from a pub landlord last December and he intended to dispose of the rounds.

He said his attention had been elsewhere as he was going through a break-up with his wife.

The extra ammunition took him 110 rounds over the limit allowed by his licence.

When police visited his home his guns and ammunition were seized.

His firearms licence was revoked and he was also ordered to pay £300 in costs.

Poorly written story with no actual details of the charges - I've snipped out the important parts above.

Putting aside the BBC's strange fixation with a Conservative councillor who's committed a technical offence, large chunks of this story don't add up. What were the police doing counting individual rounds of ammunition? Was he "spot checked"? Did his (presumably now ex) wife drop him in it with plod?

All very strange. If he'd taken 100rds of ammo of a calibre he wasn't personally authorised to hold, that would make more sense. Similarly, what was a private FAC holder doing taking in ammunition from a random pub landlord? Surely that's a privilege only RFDs can exercise?

Avon and Somersets policy is that if you are going through a divorce you're firearms are seized for the duration, my guess is that they were seizing and logging his inventory before they took it into storage

" FAC holder doing taking in ammunition from a random pub landlord? Surely that's a privilege only RFDs can exercise?"

Provided the ammo was held legally by the landlord, and the Magistrate had that particular calibre on his Cert, no offence is done if it was logged onto his Cert - was it?. As the number of rounds exceeded his limit, he has no defence I assume. A tad heavy handed if his ticket is revoked permanently I think.

Phil*

The Avon and Somerset thing is more worrying if correct. They are not allowed by law to HAVE a policy!

Pathetic. What danger to society is caused by going over ammunition allowances as long as they're all stored safely?? :roll:

Ammo limits are stupid. How am I more of a danger with 10,000 rounds than with 5k

And the fact I can leave shotgun shells in my kitchen draw without a care in the world makes me laugh

dave_303 wrote:Avon and Somersets policy is that if you are going through a divorce you're firearms are seized for the duration, my guess is that they were seizing and logging his inventory before they took it into storage

Where does the law allow them to do that?

dave_303 wrote:Avon and Somersets policy is that if you are going through a divorce you're firearms are seized for the duration, my guess is that they were seizing and logging his inventory before they took it into storage

I've heard that from some of my Bristol based fellow club members. A&S have some strange policies that go way above and beyond HO guidelines. I've also heard some of my fellow club members mention that they've been told, by the police "That we can do what we want, so if you want guns, do as you're told".

paxtond wrote:
And the fact I can leave shotgun shells in my kitchen draw without a care in the world makes me laugh

Ditto, never understood that, especially as shotguns are a lot more prevalent, surely that ammo would be more of a concern

LeighC wrote:

dave_303 wrote:Avon and Somersets policy is that if you are going through a divorce you're firearms are seized for the duration, my guess is that they were seizing and logging his inventory before they took it into storage

I've heard that from some of my Bristol based fellow club members. A&S have some strange policies that go way above and beyond HO guidelines. I've also heard some of my fellow club members mention that they've been told, by the police "That we can do what we want, so if you want guns, do as you're told".

Essentially the situation, Chief firearms officer as I have said before is a complete arse, and the chief constable just follows what he says