'Gun licence probably easier to get than fishing permit'

Kelly Fitzgibbons and her two daughters were shot dead by her partner, Robert Needham, who used a legally-held gun

A woman whose twin sister and nieces were shot dead - with a legally-held weapon - says it is easier to get a gun licence than a fishing permit or a mortgage.

Emma Ambler, from Birmingham, has campaigned for stricter laws around gun-licensing since her sister, Kelly Fitzgibbons, and her two nieces, Ava and Lexi Needham, were murdered in March 2020.

Robert Needham, Ms Fitzgibbons' partner and father of Ava and Lexi, shot dead the three of them along with the family dog, at their home in Woodmancote, West Sussex, before turning the gun on himself.

A domestic homicide review has revealed Needham lied on his shotgun application to police about previous convictions and treatment for depression.

"Kelly was just so lovely, she was really loving, caring, motherly, even before she had children," Ms Ambler said about her twin sister

Ms Ambler has welcomed the review, which made a number of recommendations regarding the gun-licensing process.

These recommendations include more frequent licence reviews, a closer working relationship between GPs and the police, and an end to warning letters if applicants are found to have lied during the process.

"If you're found to be lying, the process should be terminated, you shouldn't be able to continue that process in any shape or form," Ms Ambler said.

"Rob got a warning for lying. What's the point of a warning if you're going to be rewarded with a gun licence?"

Ms Ambler said Mr Needham "couldn't have lied more" on his gun licence form

Gun licences are currently reviewed every five years, which the domestic homicide review found to be "too long".

"Five years is far too long. Things can change so much in somebody's life in five years," Ms Ambler said.

"At my sister's inquest, three separate police officers all said [checks] should be annually, but we don't have the resources to do that. But that doesn't make it a safe system."

Ms Ambler said she was focusing her energy on campaigning to reform the gun licensing process, which for her has been a coping mechanism with anger and grief.

"It still feels very difficult to process and to comprehend even four years on," Ms Ambler said

"People seem to be given a gun licence easier probably than a fishing licence or a mortgage, yet you can go out and wipe your whole family out in seconds," she told the BBC.

"And nobody seems to care, or I think a lot of people don’t know how easy it is to get one of these deadly weapons.

"I don't like guns, but I've never tried to stop anybody getting guns.

"I just want them to fall into the right hands of people that need them for legitimate reasons.

"And so the changes I would like to see made, I don't think should really impact on anybody who’s a responsible gun owner."

The government website states a licence will only be granted to someone who has been assessed by police as “not posing a threat to public safety and having good reason to own the firearm”.

The current guidance for police stipulates background checks must be carried out for every applicant, unless completed within the last six months, and that all applicants should be checked against the widest relevant databases.

For first-time applicants a home visit and interview must be carried out along with GP reports detailing relevant medical history such as depression, anxiety, alcohol or drug abuse.

Two referees are also required.