"I can’t see how shotgunlover failed to have his shotgun certificate renewed when there is no need to have access to private land or game shooting to qualify. Clay pigeon shooting is good reason as is wildfowling over the previously mentioned tidal areas which are public lands. His tale of being swindled by a police sergeant with a folded cheque seems to me to reflect more prejudice than anything else and begs the question why did he not return with the cheque to rectify the matter."


I qualified in law at the University of London. This all happened in my final year at law school. And as the school of American Legal Realism teaches us, in law there is more than what is written in the statute book

The chief of Hornsey Police station in London said he would not renew my shotgun certificate. I could have appealed the decision in the County court, at an estimted cost of two thousand pounds back then. A Scottish sergeant volunteered to buy my guns. He had a valid shotgun license. I asked to take them to Whaley"s gunshop to sell them there. Another police sergeant, a red haired guy from the Midlands judging by his accent said "can't let people like you carrying shotguns about the area mate. And beside you got a funny face. If you move them out of the house I'll arrest you". I had asked Whaley's to send someone to pick up the guns from the house since their dealer's license would cover the transportation, and Mrs Whaley told me they were unwilling to antagonise the police.

So the Scottish sergeant's offer seemed the only way out of the impasse.

Yes, you can fight such abuses, assuming you have the time and money. And the stomach for what will follow. Yes I did go looking for the Scottish sergeant who bought my guns regarding the check, and was told that he had nothing to say to me and our business together was done. I will not repeat the red haired sergeant's comments who was present at this meeting.

You see any prejudice in any of the above let me know. If anyone wants the sergeant's name PM me.

Coincidentally, Diggory Hadoake lived in the Hornsey area and he most probably knows Whaley's gunshop and the surroundings.