Firearms permit revoked man to pay police £22k

Carlisle Crown Court upheld the decision to revoke the firearms certificate

A man who had his firearms permit revoked has been told to pay police £22,000 in legal costs.

Cumbria Police had visited the man's Ulverston home in May 2022, and seized two rifles which were not kept secure, breaching the terms of the permit.

A spokesman for the force said one weapon "was ready to use", so anyone entering the property would have had "immediate access to a loaded rifle".

Despite admitting the breach at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court, the man appealed against the decision to revoke his permit.

But Carlisle Crown Court upheld the judgement on Wednesday and ordered him to pay £22,000 in costs to Cumbria Police.

Assistant Chief Constable Jonathan Blackwell said while the majority of people who held a gun permit complied with all rules, this case served as an example to those who did not.

He added: "The public would expect that the highest standards are required of firearms certificate holders, and we take our role in ensuring those standards are complied with extremely seriously."