One airgun crime a day
There is more than one airgun crime a day according to official figures
More than one crime involving an airgun occurs every day on average in Scotland, prompting fresh calls for legislation to crack down on the weapons.
A total of 415 offences were recorded in 2003, according to official figures released in response to a parliamentary question.
The figures give weight to growing pressure for further restrictions on airguns after the Home Office rejected pleas for an outright ban last week.
While the new Violent Crime Bill before the Westminster Parliament raises the minimum age for buying or firing air weapons without supervision from 17 to 18, restrictions are far short of the full ban or the licensing systems demanded by campaigners.
Pressure for action comes as a result of the public outcry over the death of two-year-old Andrew Morton from Glasgow, who was killed when hit in the head by an airgun pellet.
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