From: "davidsquires", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I wrote to my local paper last week and was beginning
to think it was not going to publish my letter until it
appeared today. The rest of the paper contained the
following reports. What a coincidence - ;-)
Aberdeen Press & Journal Thursday 28 September 2000
Community's relief as lone gun fanatic gets six year's
jail
PEOPLE in a North-east community last night spoke of
their relief as a loner who sparked fears of a
Dunblane-style massacre began a six-year prison
sentence. Campbell Swales kept an arsenal of weapons
and books on gun massacres and bombings at his remote
Banffshire cottage.
Police only stumbled on his weapons cache when he called
them to his home at Little Cushnie, Gamrie, near Banff,
complaining of an intruder. The haul included a
sub-machinegun, a deactivated AK47 assault rifle, a Luger
semi-automatic pistol and a crossbow.
Swales, 39, appeared at the High Court in Glasgow
yesterday for sentence.
Jailing him, Lord Osborne expressed concern about Swales
keeping prohibited weapons and his sinister interest in
literature of extreme violence. He said: "The public
demands a substantial sentence."
Defence advocate David Moggach told the, court that
Swales had not realised the seriousness of keeping the
weapons, which were banned under the Firearms Act. But
Lord Osbome said: "That is extraordinary because of the
history of the abuse of firearms in this country in
recent years and the awful events."
Swales had earlier admitted at the High Court in
Stonehaven possessing prohibited weapons and failing to
have firearms certificates for a pump-action shotgun and
ammunition on May 29 this year.
Last night, Gamrie residents spoke of their fear of Swales
and their relief that he was locked up. Neighbour Margaret
Smith said: "One night about six months ago I heard the
sound of machinegun fire coming from just over the
hill. I was scared to go near his house. I used to ride
horses down the lane beside it, but one day I saw him out
in his garden going off his head. He was wailing and
screaming."
Gamrie mother Susan Solo welcomed the jail sentence. She
said: "I have a son of nine and your memory goes back to
Dunblane and you think, 'That could have happened here'.
"The primary school is just down the road and there
will be a lot of people relieved he got a stiff sentence."
Irene Watt, of Gamrie, said: "I think a lot of the young
mothers were worried. People will feel so much safer now
he is in prison so that what happened at Dunblane is not
repeated."
But local resident Alex Duthie said the sentence was not
tough enough. He said: "Dunblane was a disaster we don't
want to ever see again. I think he should have got more
time."
Charlie Clydesdale, whose five-year-old daughter,
Victoria, was killed along with 15 other youngsters and
their teacher at Dunblane by Thomas Hamilton in 1996,
agreed. He said: "Has nothing been learned, has nothing
changed? It was definitely lucky they caught him and
I'm glad his guns are no longer in circulation. I would
hope he's learned his lesson." Mr Clydesdale urged the
Government to tighten the law further, saying: "The
police caught him because they were checking for
something else, so if it wasn't for that he would have
never been caught."
Banff and Buchan MSP Alex Salmond described the case
as "deeply disturbing", and expressed relief that Swales
had been caught before anything serious happened. He
said: "It is vitally important that severe sentences are
handed down in such instances."
Police went to the cottage after Swales complained.of an
intruder. They found him holding an axe and a sheath
knife. The cache of arms, plus ammunition and a crossbow,
were found by officers when they searched the house for
the intruder at Swales' request.
Neighbours' fear - Page 19
Neighbours tell of gun fears
FEW Of Campbell Swales's neighbours knew him by name,
but they were only too aware of the shadow he cast over
the usually peaceful countryside community.
Gamrie residents said they had feared Swales and had been
very relieved after his arrest. Parents had feared for
the safety of their children whose school bus passed
right by the gun enthusiast's cottage.
Children had been forbidden to go near the house after
a number of strange occurrences. On several occasions,
the sound of machine-gun fire and pistol shots had been
heard coming from the cottage at night. And once Swales
was seen wailing and screaming in his garden.
Many neighbours said they had feared it was only a matter
of time before he would "snap" and become a real danger.
One Margaret Smith, said: "There was one night about six
months ago when I heard the sound of machine-gun fire
coming from just over the bill. I told my husband and
he didn't believe me.
"I said I'd seen enough movies to know what a machine
gun sounds like. I was scared to go near his house. I
used to ride horses down the lane beside it but one
day I saw him out in his garden going off his head. He
was wailing and screaming as if he was on drugs... I've
never gone down there since."
She said she had heard that Swales had managed to get
hold of night-vision equipment. "There have been some
nights when our dogs have been startled by something
outside, but when we go out to see what it is, there's
nothing there. My husband said that it could have been
him walking through the field wearing night-vision
goggles. He could have been hunting for deer or
anything. It's very creepy."
Another neighbour said. "All the parents around here
know not to let their children play near his home. He
is infamous around the area and has scared a lot of
people. I'm just glad that he was caught before he
could do any real harm, to himself Or anyone else.
Swales moved into Little Cushnie cottage almost two
years ago. It is thought his mother bought it for him.
The cottage still holds evidence of Swales's handiwork.
Beside a window are examples of his bedtime reading,
including a paperback on the history of the SAS. The
house is littered with tools and parts of machinery.
The living room is empty save for a sofa, an old table
and a pair of binoculars placed beside the front window.
The overgrown garden leads to a large, open barn where
there is a punchbag made from a football and a net
and empty beer cans are scattered about.
----------------------------------------------
A photograph accompanied the article. The submachine
gun appeared to be a Bergman MP28 with a 32 round magazine.
I loved the quote "I'd seen enough movies to know what
a machine gun sounds like"
----------------------------------------------
Reports of gun crime on rise
FIREARMS offences reported to the police increased by 5%
in Scotland last year - but remained almost half the
peak, figure of eight years ago, according to figures
published yesterday. The number of alleged offences
involving pistols and revolvers increased by almost
one-third, from 123 to 161, in the biggest rise for
three years.
Despite this increase, the statistical bulletin published
by the Scottish Executive states that the latest figure
for overall reported firearms offences is 47% lower,
than the 1992 peak total. Police recorded 1,033
crimes and offences involving the alleged use of a
firearm in 1999 which could lead to convictions, compared
with 985 in 1998. Firearms were used in 5% of recorded
homicides, 3% of attempted murders and, less than 0.5%
of assaults and vandalism offences.
Positive
The bulletin also shows air weapons remained the most
commonly used firearm, accounting for 59% of all offences,
while around one-third of offences took place within the
home and one-third on public highways. However, the total
number of air-weapons offences decreased by 8%, from 666
reported offences in 1998 to 612 in 1999. Almost half of
crimes, 46%, that involved a firearm were cleared up by
police, a 2% rise on 1998, and there was a 40% rise in
the theft of firearms other than air weapons.
Commenting on the figures, a Scottish Executive spokesman
said: "These figures highlight a generally positive
picture. "Offences involving the alleged use of firearms
are down by around a half from 1992. "The rise in the use
of hand-guns in recorded crime is a concern. However, the
figures are still down from the peak year of 1996."
The SNP's shadow justice minister, Roseanna Cunningham, said
the statistics represented cause for concern. She added:
"Although it is important to note that the levels are way
below the peak 1992 figure, any increase in offences
involving firearms must cause concern and once you look
behind the headline figures, there are a number of warnings
which must be heeded'"
Ms Cunningham said tighter regulations over air weapons
should be introduced.
----------------------------------------------------------------
--
Of course the figures are down from the peak of 1996! What
nonsense! The fact that handgun related offences have
risen at all is a total condemnation of the law.
Also I note that everyone assumed that Mr Swales was going
to shoot up a school with zero evidence to support it, plus
if he was "well known" in the area for being a nutter, why
was it the police were only called in once, by Mr Swales
himself, who despite his "arsenal" apparently depended on
police protection?
Talk about trial by the press!
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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