Case Study: A route back to shooting
Our Client “David” was a long-standing certificate holder who experienced serious trauma in his life and began abusing alcohol as a coping mechanism. His behaviour while “in drink” fell short of the police’s expectation of a certificate holder and he was revoked.
In the five years that followed he re-applied for his certificate twice and was refused on both occasions where police said insufficient time had passed since the original incident. When he asked the police for guidance they advised him to complete further courses to improve his shooting knowledge and skills.
He wrote to his representative organisation and they declined to provide any meaningful support.
We met him, assessed and recommended he engage us on a consultancy basis.
Our Intervention
We agreed to pursue a longer term plan that:
- Engaged the police force and asked for their contribution.
- Disputed the force’s “policy” that an applicant had to wait 2 years before re-submitting.
- Listened to all the circumstances.
- Worked with a counsellor
The Results
Apart from the personal representation, which took place at a police station, all of the actions above were covered by the complete membership.
Within two months, all firearms and shotguns were returned. The client accepted a formal warning for a minor breach of certificate conditions—no prosecution, no lasting damage, and restoration of his shooting rights.
Why it matters?
This case highlights a critical truth:
When legal routes are inaccessible and sector support fails, expert advocacy becomes essential.
We don’t just interpret the rules—we challenge misuse, restore fairness, and stand with responsible shooters when others won’t.
