Gun laws: Restrictions call after firearm ownership data

People should be limited to one firearm per licence says one county councillor

People should have a firearms licence for each weapon they own, a councillor has argued, after a report showing owners with multiple weapons.

A meeting of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel heard the area had 37,684 firearms and shotguns linked to just 12,354 licences.

It means one person could have "a small arsenal" warned Flintshire councillor Chris Bithell.

The police and crime commissioner said he may lobby for tougher restrictions.

Andy Dunbobbin added police were currently bound by the law, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Gun owners must reapply for their licence every five years the panel meeting at Bodlondeb, Conwy, was also told on Tuesday.

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"A certificate can cover one weapon. [But] there's no maximum or minimum," said Mr Bithell, who is Flintshire's cabinet member for public health.

"I think that should cause some alarm," he said, "because although the owners of these guns... may well be bona fide people, farmers and so on, who use them very legitimately.

"The danger is break-ins and then these weapons get into the wrong hands."

There were 9,571 shotgun certificates in north Wales, the report reveals, with the number of shotguns totalling at 27,404

"I think it should be raised nationally," he added. "I think it should be one certificate per weapon really so we can keep some sort of grip on this.

"You are talking about 37,000 plus weapons in the north Wales area, and that's a matter of some concern."

His demand for change comes after Rachel Williams, a woman from Monmouthshire who was shot by her husband, called for all firearms to be kept at gun clubs.

North Wales has 45 registered firearms dealers, the report also revealed, with each required to reapply for their licence every three years.

Mr Dunbobbin said he would see if he could lobby nationally for the legislation to be changed.