EXCLUSIVE

The survivor of a fatal Crossbow attack says the Government’s latest proposals to tighten controls on the sale of crossbows fall short of what is needed to prevent future tragedies. Laura Sugden was left seriously injured in a horrific crossbow attack in which her partner Shane Gilmer, 30, was killed by Anthony Lawrence in 2018.

The then 33-year-old was pregnant when she and Mr Gilmer were attacked in their home in Southburn, near Driffield, East Yorks, on 12 January 2018. Lawrence was subsequently found dead in a motor home in North Yorkshire but since Shane’s inquest in 2021, Laura and her legal team, led by solicitor Gemma Vine, have worked with police forces and government officials to raise awareness of the dangers posed by crossbows and to push for stricter regulation.

Under current law, it is only an offence to sell or hire a crossbow to anyone under the age of 18. There is no licensing system, no registration, and no checks on those who own or use crossbows. This means that law enforcement agencies have no way of knowing how many crossbows are in circulation or where they are stored—posing serious risks to public safety.

Laura, speaking after the latest incident in Leeds, said: “This recent attack in Headingley shows yet again how dangerous and accessible these weapons are. We’ve been campaigning for crossbows to be treated with the same seriousness as firearms, including licensing and police checks. Crossbows are devastating weapons – in some cases more dangerous than guns – and it’s far too easy to get hold of one today. While a total ban may not be feasible, we must have legislation in place that offers real protection and accountability. The latest proposals are a start but we need real, meaningful action that stops tragedies like Shane’s from ever happening again.”

Gemma, who works for law firm Ison Harrison says whilst the proposed new legislation marks progress, it fails to address the root of the problem which she says is the unregulated ownership of a weapon capable of inflicting lethal harm.

The proposals, announced as part of the Government’s wider Crime and Policing Bill, include stronger age verification for online sales and delivery of crossbows. However, the campaigners says these measures are not sufficient to prevent further attacks like those seen in recent years, including the high-profile triple murder carried out by Kyle Clifford in Bushey, Hertfordshire that saw him murder ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt and her sister Hannah and mum Carol last summer, the arrest of Jaswant Singh Chail who planned to assassinate the late Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle in 2021  and the chilling attack in Headingley, Leeds, last weekend, by Owen Lawrence, 38  that left two victims seriously injured.

Women-hating misogynist Lawrence died in hospital on Tuesday after shooting himself in the head with an air pistol after vowing to launch an “Otley run massacre” on the popular student pub crawl in Leeds. One victim, a 19-year-old remains in hospital whilst a 31-year-old is now recuperating at home.

Campaigners warn such attacks highlight the lack of parity between crossbow regulations and those governing firearms and shotguns.

Ison Harrison and Laura were invited to present their evidence to the Home Office in 2022, following a major data-gathering initiative which included a Freedom of Information request submitted to all 43 UK police forces. The information collected helped to demonstrate the scale of crossbow-related incidents and the need for urgent legislative change.

Gemma said: “We welcome the Government’s recognition of the issue and are encouraged by Dame Diana Johnson’s recent comments in the House of Commons about the need to get lethal weapons off our streets. However, the Government’s consultation on this issue closed over a year ago and although we appreciate that there has been a change in Government during that time, in light of the recent events, we would encourage the government to publish this response as soon as possible setting out what changes are to be made and the timescale.

“New, restrictive laws would mark a turning point after years of dedicated campaigning and offer some measure of closure for victims like Laura. More importantly, they would prevent further avoidable deaths and bring these dangerous weapons under proper control. With more lives now lost, we urge the Home Office to urgently publish its response and provide a clear plan and timetable for reform.”

Gemma emphasised that the campaign does not call for an outright ban on crossbows recognising there are legitimate uses such as for sport and historical re-enactment.

But she added: “It is outrageous that such powerful weapons can be bought and owned without any oversight. It’s time to end the free-for-all.”