Priti Patel orders review of crossbow laws after
Windsor Castle incident
Home secretary tells officials to look at possible
ways to strengthen controls on weapons in wake of Christmas Day arrest
Priti Patel: Whitehall sources reportedly said
officials had been instructed to ‘incorporate any lessons’ from the Windsor
Castle arrest into a review of crossbow laws which was ordered earlier this
year.
Tom Ambrose
Tue 28 Dec
2021 09.37 GMT
A review
into crossbow ownership has been ordered by the home secretary just days after
a 19-year-old man was arrested at Windsor Castle on Christmas Day allegedly
carrying the weapon.
The
Metropolitan police are investigating a video, which has been linked to the
suspect, which appears to show a masked figureholding a crossbow and saying
they want to “assassinate the Queen”.
A Home
Office spokesperson said the department had been instructed by Priti Patel to
look at possible ways to “strengthen controls” on the weapons.
The
spokesperson said: “Crossbows are subject to controls, and legislation is in
place to deal with those who use them as a weapon.
“At the
home secretary’s request, we are considering options to strengthen controls on
crossbows. Work on this has been ongoing throughout the year, and we keep all
relevant laws under review to maintain public safety.”
The man
arrested on Christmas Day within the grounds of the castle in Berkshire where
the Queen is in residence has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, the
Metropolitan police said.
According
to the Daily Telegraph, Whitehall sources said officials had been instructed to
“incorporate any lessons” from the arrest into a review of crossbow laws which
was ordered earlier this year.
Under
current legislation, it is an offence for anyone under 18 to buy or possess a
crossbow and for anyone to sell a crossbow to someone aged under 18. Crossbows
may also be considered offensive weapons and are prohibited from being carried
in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
Demands for
tighter regulation of crossbows initially came after the five-day inquest into
the death of Shane Gilmer in April. The 30-year-old died after his neighbour,
Anthony Lawrence, broke into his house in January 2018 and shot him and his
partner, Laura Sugden, who survived the attack.
The coroner,
Prof Paul Marks, submitted a report to Patel in May in which he said he was
concerned there was “no ongoing control, record or licensing requirement for
(crossbows)”, unlike firearms.
On Monday
the father of the 19-year-old arrested on Christmas Day reportedly told
MailOnline: “Something’s gone horribly wrong with our son and we are trying to
figure out what.”
“We’ve not
had a chance to speak to him but are trying to get him the help he needs,” he
said. “From our perspective, we are going through a difficult time. We are
trying to resolve this issue and it’s not easy.”
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