Five-hour gun drama in Tunbridge Wells sparked by diabetic attack
THE man at the centre of a gun drama which saw armed police surround a block of flats for five hours said the event was sparked by his diabetes.
Shocked residents in Upper Grosvenor Road were ordered to stay inside their homes on Friday night when officers cordoned off the street shortly after 8.30pm.
Five hours later, Gerard Pollard, who lives in a flat in Upper Grosvenor Road, was arrested on suspicion of firearms offences and bailed pending further enquiries.
The drama began after Mr Pollard called an ambulance when he was experiencing breathing difficulties linked to his diabetes.
Paramedics spotted a weapon while treating him and raised the alarm.
But Mr Pollard told the Courier it was a ball-bearing gun used to frighten animals.
"I use it to scare away squirrels and the lady from the ambulance saw it poking out from underneath my sofa," said the 45-year-old.
Mr Pollard claimed he had not been aware police were outside until he was woken up by the sound of his door being broken down. "The next thing I knew was when I was in bed and the police broke down the door with a battering ram," he said.
"They had rifles and sniffer dogs with them.
"This was all over a little gun, it wasn't even an air gun," said Mr Pollard.
But Acting Chief Inspector Simon Wilshaw said police could not afford to take chances when the safety of the public was at risk.
Mr Wilshaw said: "With any incident of this type the safety of the public is our primary concern.
"Until we can satisfactorily establish the level of threat to the officers, to the public and to the suspect then we have to treat the threat with utmost seriousness."
Responding to claims the firearm was a replica, Mr Wilshaw said:
"When you are looking down the barrel of a gun not even an expert would be able to tell you if it is a replica or not.
"Everything is treated as if it's the real thing."
He added: "Kent Police would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding while the incident was dealt with."
The road was shut to vehicles between Silverdale Road and the junction with Queen's Road for more than five hours.
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by NRS, TON
Thursday, August 26 2010, 11:43AM
“Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation about BB weapons and if you want to know the facts then refer to the VCRA Act of 2006 along with the guidance notes and specifically the defenses applying to airsoft. However to try and explain the basics here goes: You need to have a valid defense to BUY a Realistic Imitation Firearm (RIF) which is a BB gun that looks realistic - one option is to be an active airsoft skirmisher and you will also need to be 18+. References to brightly coloured Imitation Firearms (IF) still require you to be 18 to BUY, but no defense is needed. Now, ive highlighted BUY as there are many situations that can lead you to OWN a RIF or IF without breaking the law even though you do not have a valid defense to BUY. Please understand that BB RIF/IF's are not illegal despite what many people may think. Now the vast majority of Airsoft Skirmishers are responsible and are interested in protecting their hobby/sport which is not too dissimilar to paintball. Therefore they make every effort to abide by the law despite the fact that there are some bizarre contradictions.
As for the article it did not state that the weapon was waved around or pointed at people so i can see the initial response from G Sussex as reasonbly valid. In further responses people linked to the event have noted that the weapon was waved around but also that the person has mental health issues - something also missing from the article - so i can see their point of view aswell. Basically, im of the opinion that if you threaten somebody with a weapon then expect to be dealt with by the police in a reasonable manner and im not so sure a 5hr standoff is reasonable especially when the suspect is known to them. So BB RIF/IF weapons are prefectly legal to own but using them in an irresponsible way is not acceptable and deserves a measured response. that ladies and gentleman is a fact.”
by B, Tunbridge Wells
Wednesday, August 25 2010, 7:12AM
“Mr G, changed my mind, here's an extract from the Cleveland Police website....
Q. Is it illegal to own a BB gun ?
A. No, but only under certain, strict circumstances:
You must be 18 years old or over and be a member of a soft-air club to buy and possess a realistic BB gun.
If you are not a member of a soft-air club, but still over 18 years old, you can only purchase a non-realistic BB gun, which will be manufactured in an obscure colour (pink, yellow, etc.).
If you are under 18 years old, you can only possess a BB gun on private land.
BB guns (which fire ball bearings or plastic pellets) are often played with as toys but remember they are not toys and they can be very dangerous and, potentially, could seriously injure or kill someone.
You must remember that a BB gun is considered to be an imitation firearm, which is defined as:
"any thing which has the appearance of being a firearm whether or not it is capable of discharging any shot, bullet or missile¿.
It is illegal to carry an imitation firearm in public and the consequences could be very serious. If you carry a BB gun in a public place, you are potentially risking your life if someone sees it and calls the police.
When the police arrive, they will not know for sure that it is a BB gun. Even trained police officers have great difficulty distinguishing these guns from actual firearms and have to act as if they are real.
There is a real risk of you being shot by armed response officers who are unable to establish the exact nature of the weapon.
If you own a BB gun, the safest thing to do is to hand it in at your nearest police station.
.............
and when Mr Pollard invited the ambulance crew into his flat as a result of his 999 call his flat became a public place for the time that they remained on the premises until such time as they left or were asked to leave. The offence was committed therefore in a public place.”
by B, Tunbridge Wells.
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 9:32PM
“Mr G, I was going to give links to the laws relating to BB guns and any weapon that looks like the real thing but I really cannot be bothered to waste any more time on you. I suggest that you contact your local firearms officer at any police station who will put you right.”
by G, Sussex
Monday, August 23 2010, 10:51PM
“Sorry B and L but you are both wrong.You cannot have a BB gun "disguised" as a replica.If a gun is a non firing or blank firing replica then certain laws are applicable.Those laws do not apply to BB guns which are a form of air weapon which can fire BBs or pellets either singularly or multi shot using CO2/compressed air as a propellant.There is no law that states a air pistol /BB gun has to be painted orange.You are getting your laws mixed up.
BBguns are quite legal to own and even if they look like real firearms(which many do) they are not classified as a replica.Anyone can also own a deactivated weapon of any type without
a certificate or restriction and anyone can buy obsolete calibre weapons for
display purposes without any restriction.
Its interesting to note people giving details of the incident that wasnt part
of the original article that I commented on.Some of the comments (L Kent) contain confidential information about the patient and should not be used to justify what was a gross overeaction from everyone concerned.
Owning a BB gun is not a crime and neither is waiving around a BB gun.(its stupid but not illegal).Having any type of weapon pointed at you is disturbing but whether it is an offence or not if it happens in the privacy of someones home is debatable.If the person threatened to shoot someone even if the
gun is not real it could constitute an offence but even the most hysterical commentators on here have not suggested that was the case.”
by checkmate, Tunbridge Wells
Monday, August 23 2010, 4:30PM
“Didn't the original story state that the gun was seen "poking out from under a sofa"?
I see that has been changed now. Well, I am sorry for the confusion that has resulted and the bitterness that it has provoked on both sides but we can only ever go on what we're told.”