Bit of a quandary

[BenBhoy 4,706]

How do chums 

Bit of collective thought gathering...

Mate of mine from back home has decided he wants a shotgun, clays mainly. He's asked if I'll go down as his reference (his thinking being that as I have licenses that plod will think well of that )

But the thing is I don't want to. I don't think he IS a good candidate for a gun! He's a mate but he can be a nob, especially after a few bevvies. He's often in bother & has a record.  Now I don't think his force will grant him one & totally selfish, but if I did put my name down & they did say no, would that look bad on me, my judge of character etc? Or am I over thinking it??? 

Cheers all

[Stavross 16,139]

I won’t sign anyone’s as a reference, I did it once for a lad for a SGC and 4 weeks later he got a refusal and I got a visit from firearms for a spot check( could of been a coincidence but who knows) he doesn’t need anyone who has one to go as a referee when he is applying 

[David.evans 5,323]

No he does not. your right stav , just some one who knows you to sign the back of the photo 

let it lye Ben

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Aye, I know it can be anyone, he just thinks it'll carry bit more clout which I told him it won't.

Now just gotta tell him I don't wanna do it. 

[ianm 2,594]

If he is a knob as you so eloquently put it, there is only one course of action open to you.

Tell him to "foxtrot oscar" and i would tell him why as well, but that remains optional for you.

[grebb 50]

 

Just tell him there’s 2 reasons why you won’t be a reference for him  And he’s both of them

[Dervburner 2,549]

Referees don’t have to sign anything now, the applicant just needs to put the referee’s details on the form. Personally, I wouldn’t be a referee for anyone that I didn’t genuinely regard as suitable. I don’t want guns in the wrong hands any more than the police do. 

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Cheers fellas, confirming what I thought. 

[Alsone 789]

TBH I haven't known anyone with a cert willing to be a ref for someone else. Just tell him that you looked into it and the advice you received is that anyone with a cert shouldn't be a ref for someone else becasue if anything goes wrong it puts their cert in jeopardy. Just tell him he's better asking one of his other mates therefore.

Also, if you think he's unsuitable maybe time for an anonymous call to firearms. I'm guessing he'll tell you if he has a visit. I agree with Dev. We need to keep guns out of the wrong hands. Anyone with a record that drinks heavily and reading between the lines of what you said, gets aggressive and into fights after driniking (?) doesn't bode well for suitability. HIs record may make him unsuitable anyway if it involves the same and may support what you tip off.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Alsone

[BenBhoy 4,706]

I've told him no now, cheers for replies all.

1 hour ago, Alsone said:

Also, if you think he's unsuitable maybe time for an anonymous call to firearms.

Nah, that's not how I roll. 

[David.evans 5,323]

Fair play Ben 

you’ve done the right thing there mate 

atb 

[FLATTOP 4,543]

A bloke I know asked me to be a ref I refused because I new he was not suitable he got a ref elsewhere got granted the shotgun ticket and to cut a long story short and not going into detail on a public forum it ended in tragedy, correct decision not to step up for him Ben.

[Alsone 789]

On 31/05/2021 at 14:05, FLATTOP said:

A bloke I know asked me to be a ref I refused because I new he was not suitable he got a ref elsewhere got granted the shotgun ticket and to cut a long story short and not going into detail on a public forum it ended in tragedy, correct decision not to step up for him Ben.

..and that's exactly why I speak to firearms and express concerns. Every incident that occurs is a possible ban to ownership. The best way to avoid that is to ensure anyone who might have unsuitable tendancies doesn't get a licence. It's not a matter of pride or snitching, it's about protecting your licence and sport.

From the sounds of it, this is the sort of guy who might go to the pub, get spannered, come home with his mates, get the gun out, guess what I've got, load a shell, points it at his mates and pretends to shoot someone shouting bang, you afraid, and goes around a few of the mates in his lounge pretending, maybe you included, until his finger accidentally slips in his drunken state and he does shoot someone.  You can also throw in the possibility of a drunken rage.

If he's prone to "be a knob", has poor judgement and gets himself in bother and is prone to get drunk and do stupid things when he does, I'd say unsuitable and a danger.

[walshie 2,804]

I don't think having a ticket yourself should be any bar to reffing someone. That person being unsuitable - even if you have the slightest doubt, most definitely is though.

 

[shovel leaner 7,650]

Just being devils advocate here . People grow up , and people change as they get older and think of consequences. 
         For my part I got into some violent scrapes when I was younger. This is before CCTV in town centres . So I never got a police record. When I got my shotgun certificate I fell in love with shooting. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise my shooting. “Have one more pint for the road “? No chance . Any form of physical confrontations , have to be , you are backed in a corner with no other option . I honestly believe that my shooting made me  responsible , and behave myself . Would I sign his certificate...... ? No . Should he be denied one , that’s for the police to decide.