10-year-old takes gun into Liverpool junior school

Sep 24 2007

A 10-YEAR-OLD boy took a ball bearing gun into his junior school classroom.

Police were called after the weapon was spotted by teachers at Mosspits school in Mosspits Lane, Wavertree.

The boy was taken home for a safety talk with his parents.

Police and staff denied any children had been put at risk, but parents said they were outraged.

They learned of the incident in letters sent out by the school.

One Wavertree man, who has two daughters at the school, said: “I’m appalled. When I read the letter from the school I was in shock.

“These guns can do serious damage even if they don’t fire bullets and I think it is very serious. Why on earth would a 10-year-old boy have something like this in school anyway?

“It’s a great school and I’m happy with my daughters being there but this shook me and my wife.”

And the partner of a man paralysed following a BB gun attack said she was horrified at the thought of 10-year-olds carrying BB guns.

In June 2004, Wirral father David Hazel was shot in the back in an unprovoked attack and left paralysed after the ball bearing severed his spinal cord.

David's partner Patti Williams said: “I think it’s a disgrace that a 10-year-old has a BB gun. Shops don’t normally sell them to people under 16, so how did he get it?

“I’ve seen the damage these guns could do to adults so dread to think how seriously a small child could be hurt. It is very worrying.”

A spokesman for Mosspits junior school said: “One of our young people brought a ball bearing gun into school to show to his friends. It remained in its box and was not removed at any point.

“As soon as staff were alerted, the gun was confiscated. The school reprimanded the pupil and contacted his parents.

“We are extremely proud of the safe environment at Mosspits and this was an isolated incident. At no point were any of our pupils put in danger.”

A spokesman for Merseyside police said the boy had not broken any laws.

He said: “Officers spoke to the child and he was taken home to his parents, who were also given some advice.”

Merseyside police have previously called for more legislation to control the sale and use of BB guns.

Recently police seized eight ball bearing guns from children in West Lancashire, which were traced to car boot sales in Burscough and Banks.

The haul included seven ‘automatic pistols’ and a ‘pump action shotgun’ version with a scoped sight.

It seizures came after an eight-year-old boy nearly lost an eye when he was shot by a boy wielding a similar weapon in Burscough.