A gun activist who had his firearms licences revoked was still able to take part in a controversial practical shooting competition.
Callum Long-Collins, 31, was stripped of his gun licences seven years ago after police said his social media had become a “forum for extremism” in the wake of the 2015 Paris terror attacks.
Yet Long-Collins, from Hampshire, who called the families of the Dunblane victims “delusional” for their gun control campaigning, was able to take part in the United Kingdom Practical Shooting Association (UKPSA) 2022 Scottish Masters in Lanarkshire.
A video he uploaded to his YouTube channel shows him firing and reloading guns at the Recoil Scotland practical shooting range in Shotts, which has been previously highlighted by the Sunday Mail for exploiting gun laws.
These US-inspired gun clubs don’t fall under government approval rules despite members – including those at the Lanarkshire club – using high-powered weapons as they move around a combat assault course to take out human-shaped targets.
Gun control campaigners called UKPSA “irresponsible” for allowing Long-Collins to take part in the contest as calls for a major reform of UK gun laws grow.
Gill Marshall-Andrews, chair of the Gun Control Network, said: “Practical shooting is an activity of great concern for us but no one else seems to be worried about it. It offers an opportunity for people deemed unsuitable to have a firearms licence to get their hands on guns.
Gun clubs like this need proper regulation and approval by the Home Office.”
One gun control campaigner said: “It’s utterly irresponsible and arrogant of the UKPSA to allow someone previously deemed unsuitable to hold firearm certificates to participate in its competitions.”
The Sunday Mail, along with Dunblane families, campaigned tirelessly for gun control after the 1996 atrocity. The Snowdrop campaign, which gathered a million signatures – including 450,000 from our readers – became law in October 1997.
But the Government now faces demands to update legislation and reform enforcement. Earlier this month the coroner who investigated the Plymouth mass shooting called for “root and branch reform of the UK’s gun laws”.
Jake Davidson shot and killed five people in August 2021 with a legally owned shotgun. Coroner Ian Arrow warned there had been a “serious failure at a national level” to learn the lessons of the Dunblane massacre in 1996 and poor standards in police firearms vetting units meant weapons may “remain in the hands of individuals who pose a risk”.
While he doesn’t have a gun licence, Long-Collins is a director of Magload – a shop which sells guns and equipment. He’s also treasurer of the UKPSA.
The UKPSA is part of the International Practical Shooting Confederation, which organises and promotes practical shooting in various countries. A source said: “The wider UKPSA membership is unhappy with this situation but the organisation refuses to address the matter. Allowing Long-Collins to take part reflects very badly on the organisation.”
Despite having lost an appeal against the decision to revoke his gun licences in 2016, Long-Collins was free to take part due to UK gun laws because they exclude practical shooting ranges.
Anyone with a licence for certain types of guns is able to set up a practical shooting club on private land without the need for police, government or local authority permission and licensing.
Long-Collins runs the English Shooting YouTube channel, which reviews legal firearms and promotes practical shooting. The channel has over 39,000 subscribers.
A clip, posted after the terrorist murders at the Bataclan in November 2015, was titled “Paris Attacks: Time for Self Defence”. It has since been deleted.
Long-Collins later told followers: “I was told that due to repeated comments from other people on the videos, [the police] felt that the channel was a forum of extremism and it was promoting views that were not in line with legal firearms ownership in the UK.”
In 2019 the UKPSA faced questions over its charitable status after exploiting loopholes in firearms laws to obtain live-firing handguns of the type banned after Dunblane.
In October Jack Crozier, who lost his sister Emma in the tragedy, told us how he had found his voice by campaigning globally for more firearms controls after being inspired by the bravery of all the Dunblane parents who won their battle to ban handguns in Britain.
The following month Long-Collins released a YouTube video in which he told viewers that Dunblane families were delusional. He said: “While I’m sure Jack has had a very tragic experience and I wouldn’t wish that on anybody, that does not qualify you to talk about gun laws… about firearms.
“To make laws and legislation based on emotion is completely the wrong step. What they seem to be hiding behind is this delusion that it is about the prevention of the loss of life.”
Marshall-Andrews added: “The families of Dunblane campaigned tirelessly to bring about a change in the UK’s firearms laws and it is thanks to them that we have the laws we do. To say the survivors and families of victims of gun violence are not qualified to speak on firearms legislation is outrageous.”
Long-Collins said: “I am not a prohibited person from processing firearms. The law specially intends for those who are not a prohibited person to be able to take part in these sporting activities. I am not aware of any complaints being raised by my appointment as treasurer.
“Magload is appropriately licensed to allow its employees to conduct their professional activities. Hampshire Firearms Licensing is fully aware of my position and access to firearms.”
The National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “Any evidence or suggestion that an applicant could pose a danger to public safety or peace will be looked at thoroughly when considering whether to grant, renew or revoke a firearms certificate.”
UKPSA said its activities are lawful and don’t pose a risk to public safety. The Home Office said gun control is kept under constant review.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
