Judges come under fire over guns

A senior police chief has criticised judges for failing to impose tough sentences for gun crime.

Bernard Hogan-Howe, chief constable of Merseyside Police, says the mandatory five-year minimum sentence for possession of a firearm is being ignored.

He said: "The message the criminal justice system sends out about the serious consequences that flow from possessing a firearm is an important part of deterring people from carrying guns."

The chief constable is reported to have said it was "simply wrong" not to impose the five-year prison term, and "very heavy sentences" were needed to stop people carrying guns.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts."

He added: "The mandatory five year sentence for possession of a firearm is a starting point. Judges must then take aggravating and mitigating factors into consideration when determining the final sentence."

Mr Hogan-Howe, whose force is investigating the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones last year, has held meetings with the local judiciary and members of the legal profession to discuss the effects of gun crime on the community.

He said: "The big issue for me is getting guns out of society.

"There will always be gangs and criminals but it is the fact that they carry guns which makes them truly intimidating.

He added: "If we can get the guns out of their hands, then we will make our society safer.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "The Government have patently failed to get a grip on gun crime, with a four-fold increase in gun-related violence under Labour."

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