1,500 gun owners in the Island

Thursday 14 July 2016

Just over 1,500 people living in Jersey have a firearms licence.

The minimum age at which you can apply for a licence is 14. Figures released under a freedom of information request show there are two people aged between 14 and 16 who have licences.

But, there are restrictions: “...a person between the ages of 14 and 17 years old may possess a firearm only if it has been gifted to him or her. In order to be able to purchase a firearm, a young person must be at least 17 years old.” The figures show there are 11 licence holders aged between 16 and 20.

The reply to the question also goes on to say, “...firearms certificates are issued by the parish Constables and not by the States of Jersey Police. The States of Jersey Police may provide advice to the Constable on a case by case basis and would always advise that people under the age of 17 years are accompanied by an adult.”

It goes on to state: “This is in addition to the conditions laid out in Article 9 of the Firearms (Jersey) Law 2000, whereby the Constable must be satisfied that a certificate hold, regardless of age, is ‘fit to be entrusted with a firearm’, has a good reason for having a firearm in their possession, and can possess such ‘without danger to the public safety or to the peace.’”

The bulk of gun licences - 1,494 – are held by people aged over 20.

Figures release by the States of Jersey Police Force last year showed a similar number of licence holders, but went further by saying they owned 9,372 guns – that’s an average of six guns per licence holder.

In an earlier police report back in 2013 it was also revealed 130 gun owners had more than 10 weapons each, and that one person had 306. That's now gone up, and the most recent figures show he has 410.