Scottish police recorded 365 offences in which a firearm was allegedly involved in 2012-13 – down 32 per cent from the 535 recorded in 2011-12.
This is the lowest figure recorded in the ten-year period covered by the Scottish government’s crime bulletin. It also represents the sixth successive year that crime figures have lowered – they have dropped 75 per cent since 2006-07.
Offences involving unidentified firearms are down 85 per cent in the same period, while airgun offences are down 75 per cent.
Despite these figures, the Scottish government remains keen to press on with airgun licensing in the 2013-14 parliamentary calendar.
BASC Scotland’s policy officer Nicolle Hamilton said: “We are pleased that airgun crime has fallen again this year by a further 13% to 171 offences.
“This means that of the estimated 500,000 airguns in Scotland 0.03% were involved in an offence last year. This statistic further demonstrates that a licensing scheme is not necessary and is another example of the SNPs attempts to tax and ban a legitimate and safe sport.”
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