Home office considering gun informer scheme

Jacqui Smith unveiled the scheme today

Sunday, 26, Aug 2007 12:00

The Home Office is considering a scheme in which people can anonymously pass on details about firearms to informers.

The scheme seeks to encourage people to come forward with information about illegal firearms while ensuring that details of their identity remain secret.

Speaking about the gun tip-off scheme, a Home Office spokesman said: "We want to work with the police to create a scheme whereby members of the public can tip off a third party if they know someone is in possession of a gun or, if they find a gun, hand it in to that third party themselves.

"The third party would then liaise with the police, protecting the anonymity of the informer."

Home secretary Jacqui Smith told the News of the World about the proposals which come soon after the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.

In an interview to the paper, she said that "drop off zones" would also be established for people to surrender their weapons.

"Sometimes people directly ask friends or other members of their family to look after their guns for them. Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun," she said.

"They know it's wrong and they want to find a way to get that gun off their family member and make sure they are not able to use it and get themselves into the trouble they are obviously going to get themselves into."

However, the Home Office warned that every weapon handed in would be investigated in relation to crimes that had been committed. It also stated that the handing in of weapons would not be considered as amnesty for the crime.