Marksman in guns and ammo gaffe

Clay pigeon crackshot left weapons insecure after he was called out at farm

By jane candlish

Published:

A Dingwall marksman left guns and ammunition lying insecure in his house when he went to deal with a delivery lorry, a court heard yesterday.

Dingwall Sheriff Court was told police officers who called at Angus Cameron’s house in connection with renewing his firearms certificates found a rifle, shotguns and rounds of ammunition in and on top of unlocked filing cabinets.

The court heard that 34-year-old Cameron was cleaning the guns at the time, but had left the house unlocked when he went to deal with a delivery to his remote farm on May 28 this year.

Yesterday, Cameron, of Wide Skies, Culbin Farm, Old Evanton Road, was fined £2,000 for failing to comply with the conditions of his firearms and shotgun certificates.

The court heard that 100 rounds of 0.17 rifle ammunition was found on top of a filing cabinet, while more rounds were found in a jacket. Five shotguns were seen lying insecure.

Sheriff MacFadyen, as an example to other firearms holders, fined Cameron £1,000 for failing to comply with the conditions of his firearms certificate and £1,000 for failing to comply with the requirements of his shotgun certificate.

The court heard that Cameron, who is the secretary of a local clay pigeon club, had held a firearms certificate since August 2007 and a shotgun certificate since 2002.

Solicitor Aileen McInnes said that on May 28 Cameron was cleaning his guns after attending a competition in Wales.

She said: “When in the middle of that, a lorry load of lime arrived. He was the only person there, and left the house without thinking to show the driver where this was to be dumped.

“Unfortunately, when he left, he left the house unlocked and at that very time, the police arrived.”

Mrs McInnes added: “He has learned a salutary lesson from something that was essentially thoughtlessness and something he did on leaving the house on the spur of the moment. That 10 minutes may have caused him irreparable harm as far as his sporting career is concerned.” She added that Cameron had made inquiries about buying a larger gun cupboard.

Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen said: “There is a letter from Northern Constabulary stating that there has been some concern about the lackadaisical attitude you have displayed to the security of your firearms.

“I am told there were 100 rounds of ammunition lying on an unlocked filing cabinet and other rounds in completely unacceptable places.”

He added: “It was a chaotic scene as far as the storage of these is concerned.

“It is of great concern that someone with your experience considers it appropriate to walk out of the house and leave weapons and ammunition lying around.”