Urgent action needed over crossbows, says campaigner

Laura Sugden's partner was murdered in 2018 by a neighbour armed with a crossbow

A woman campaigning for tighter controls on crossbows has said urgent action is needed to prevent further deaths following an attack in Hertfordshire which left three women dead.

Laura Sugden has been calling for tougher laws after her partner, Shane Gilmer, was murdered when a neighbour broke into their East Yorkshire home in 2018 and shot them both with a crossbow.

Ms Sugden, who is due to undergo surgery later this month for injuries sustained in the attack, said the deaths of BBC racing commentator John Hunt's wife and two daughters in Bushey, near Watford, on Tuesday, "brings it all back home again".

She added: "Three people lost their lives yesterday and if that's not enough to now stop and think these are dangerous weapons and unbelievably lethal. I really think the government now needs to be looking [at] what to do next."

Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise, 25, (top right) and Hannah, 28, were killed at their home in Hertfordshire

Under current legislation, it is an offence for anyone under 18 to purchase 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.

Ms Sugden has previously discussed legislation of the weapon with the government after gathering 42,000 signatures on a petition when she first called for the changes.

She said she believed crossbows "are more dangerous" than firearms, and wanted a licensing system with police checks.

"It can only prevent future deaths if these are brought in line with firearms because it just means people are not going to be able to get their hands on [them] so easily," said Ms Sugden.

Shane Gilmer and Laura Sugden were shot in a "premeditated" crossbow attack in their home

In February, the Home Office launched a call for evidence to look at "whether further controls on crossbows should be introduced".

The outcome is yet to be announced.

According to the government department, there were fewer than 10 killings involving crossbows between 2011 and 2021.

A spokesperson said: “The Home Secretary will swiftly consider the findings to see if laws need to be tightened further."

The couple's daughter was born after Mr Gilmer's death

Ms Sugden was pregnant when she and Mr Gilmer were attacked in their home in Southburn, near Driffield, on 12 January 2018.

She confronted her next-door neighbour, Anthony Lawrence, who had broken in via the loft and laid in wait for her and her partner.

Ms Sugden escaped to get help and Lawrence was later found dead in a motor home in the North York Moors.

"I've still got some of the bolt in my skull," said Ms Sugden. "I'm actually due to have surgery in a week's time to have that removed."

She said the loss of her partner was at times "overwhelming", as she watches her six-year-old daughter grow up without her father.

"It's just constant sadness, anger, sadness, anger," said Ms Sugden.

An inquest into Shane Gilmer's death heard how one of the crossbows had been altered to make it "more lethal"

She said after more than three years of campaigning people were still being killed by crossbows and she felt saddened for Mr Hunt and his family.

"The road that they're about to go on is absolutely horrendous. I just felt desperately sad for them and to hear something like this has happened again.

"It just seems to be an ongoing problem and in my opinion, it's only increasing."

Kyle Clifford, 26, the suspect detained in relation to the Bushey killings, remains in hospital, having been found with injuries on Wednesday.