Plymouth shooting: Policing Minister Chris Philp meets families of victims

Maxine Davison, Sophie and Lee Martyn, Kate Shepherd and Stephen Washington were killed in August 2021

The families of victims of a mass shooting in Plymouth have met with a government minister in London.

Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, who was at the meeting, said the talks with Policing Minister Chris Philp had been "constructive".

It comes after a coroner called for an overhaul of gun laws after five people were killed in the Keyham area.

An inquest found "catastrophic" police failings before the 2021 shootings.

Jake Davison used a legally-held shotgun to kill his mother Maxine, 51, Sophie Martyn, three, her father Lee, 43, Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66, before he turned the gun on himself.

'Step forward'

Mr Pollard said he felt "confident" that a push for gun reform had progressed further after the meeting on Wednesday.

"It was a constructive meeting," he said.

"What we've been arguing in Plymouth is that we need a review of gun laws, a review of gun licensing and changes to make our communities safer.

"This will take some time and we won't get everything we want all at once but I'm confident this is a step forward that we're making, with the government realising that changing gun laws will make the community safer."

In February, Mr Philp committed to make "any further changes needed to protect the public" in the wake of shootings in Plymouth and the Isle of Skye.

The coroner for Plymouth, Ian Arrow, recommended "root and branch reform" of firearms legislation as he was concerned "weapons may remain in the hands of individuals who pose a risk to the public" across England and Wales.

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