see Hungerford Report for the main article. This has be split from it to reduce its size

Detailed background of Ryan's possession of firearms

Shotgun Certificate

Ryan was first granted a Thames Valley Shotgun Certificate on 2 February 1978. His application was countersigned by his Doctor, and verified as such by Police enquiry that also showed the absence of any previous conviction or any information to Ryan's detriment casting doubt on his suitability to possess a shotgun. He was known by local Police Officers and regarded as always well dressed, of good behaviour, courteous and quiet, but a bit of a loner. This remained so throughout the currency of his possession of the Shotgun Certificate , which was renewed in l984 and 1987.

Firearms Certificate

On 10 December 1986, an application was received from Ryan for a Firearms Certificate . He sought authority to acquire a 9mm Browning Pistol and a 38 Colt Revolver for the purpose of target shooting at the Dunmore Shooting Centre Club , Wootton Road, Abingdon. He also sought permission to possess a maximum of 500 rounds for each weapon at any one time, by purchase of up to 200 rounds at a time.

In any application to possess Section 1 Firearms for target shooting purposes it has long been the policy of this Force only to grant the authority where it is shown that the applicant is a full member of a bona fide club. There are some exceptions to this rule but these are rare and have only been granted after very careful consideration and on an individual basis. For example, members of the British Pentathlete Team are not individual members of a club, but they meet the necessary overall criteria of a good reason to possess firearms.

Enquiries into Ryan's application revealed that he had served his probationary period and was a full member of the Dunmore Shooting Centre Club.

The Dunmore Shooting Centre is a Home Office Registered Club and was first granted a Club Certificate in September 1986. One of the Club rules reads as follows:-

'A minimum period of 12 weeks and maximum of 6 months probation including a minimum of 12 x ½ hours details shall normally be served by all Probationary Members. On completion of the above period the secretary shall review the applicant's number of attendances, depth of interest, apparent character and conduct, and if in the Company's opinion these are satisfactory, confirm Full Membership and issue a Membership Card to this effect. The Company may refuse Full Membership without giving any reason whatsoever.’

Enquiries by Police again revealed nothing to Ryan's detriment. He had already installed a gun cabinet in his bedroom, which was adequate for the weapons he sought to acquire. It had two separately keyed locks and a separately keyed internal compartment for ammunition. It was fixed by four bolts to an external wall within the house.

Ryan's application for a Firearms Certificate was granted on 11 December 1986, but was so conditioned that the firearms could only be used on approved ranges.

On 23 December 1987, the Dunmore Shooting Centre, which is also a Registered Dealer in Firearms, notified Thames Valley Police Firearms. Department that they had sold a Beretta 9mm Pistol to RYAN.

Similar notification was received that Ryan had acquired from them a Smith & Wesson .38 Pistol on 8 January 1987.

Ryan's Certificate was called in for the acquisitions to be formally endorsed on his Certificate. This follows the practice of calling in certificates for inclusion of all acquisitions and disposals of weapons.

On 2 April 1987 a further application was received from Ryan seeking to acquire a .32 pistol and a .22 pistol and stating his intention of disposing of the .38 Smith & Wesson. The additional firearms were for use at the Dunmore Shooting Centre where he was still a member. He again satisfied the criterion of a 'good reason to possess'.

Whenever any applicant seeks to acquire three or more firearms the premises where it is proposed to store them are inspected by a Crime prevention Officer. This was done and a favourable report was received.

On 30 April 1987, he was granted a variation to his Certificate so as to enable him to purchase the two pistols and relevant ammunition. He was authorised with the issue of a Temporary Permit to dispose of the .38 Smith & Wesson Pistol to ensure that it was in fact sold and not retained by him. On 6 May l987 Ryan notified the sale of the .38 Smith & Wesson to the Dunmore Shooting Centre and he returned the Temporary Permit. The same day the Dunmore Shooting Centre notified Police that they had sold RYAN a .22 Bernadelli Pistol.

On 15 May 1987, notification was received from 'SPORTIQUE' Sporting Firearms of Cheshire, that they had sold RYAN a .32 CZ pistol. Ryan'S Certificate was again called in for amendment.

On 14 July 1987, Ryan submitted an application to vary his Certificate so as to acquire additionally a 7.62 rifle and a .30 carbine. As well as being a member of the Dunmore Shooting Centre, he was by now also a member of the Wiltshire Shooting Centre , Station Road, Devizes. This Home Office approved Club is also known as the 'Tunnel Rifle and Pistol Club ' and has facilities for shooting full bore rifles. Ryan's application met all the criteria and his application was granted, to acquire the two firearms and requisite ammunition, on 30 July 1987.

On 13 August 1987, notification was received that Ryan had purchased a 7.62 calibre Kalashnikov from Westbury Guns, Westbury, Wiltshire, on 6 August 1987. On 14 August 1987, notification was received that on 8 August 1987 he had acquired a .30 Underwood Rifle from the Wiltshire Shooting Centre. It is now known that Ryan sold the Bernadelli .22 Pistol shortly before the Hungerford incident and the CZ .32 Pistol was undergoing repair with a Firearms Dealer.

Thames Valley firearms generally

It is perhaps relevant at this point to describe briefly the position of firearms possessed by the general public in the Thames Valley Police area.

There are 34,188 people who hold a shotgun certificate, and of course each can legally possess an unlimited and unspecified number of firearms and ammunition and without any Police supervision of their security arrangements.

There are 6,301 people who hold a firearms certificate authorising a total of 15,268 firearms. Of these people, 451 possess 6 to 10 firearms each, and 91 own more than 10 each. The firearms include 498 7.62 calibre rifles and 53 carbines. 2,587, or 41% possess their firearms 'for range use' only. 133 of these rifles and carbines are known to be semi-automatic; in addition a further 280 full bore weapons are imprecisely described in earlier recording Systems and a proportion are almost certainly also semi-automatic weapons. (Our Firearms records are still maintained manually, although they are to be computerised within the coming year) . Needless to say, any one of these firearms in the wrong hands, through theft or mental illness could cause the same destruction as Ryan did on 19 August.