A Surrey MP is advocating for changes to gun licensing laws in the wake of the deaths of Epsom College headteacher Emma Pattison and her daughter, Lettie, who were killed by George Pattison in February last year.
George Pattison fatally shot his wife and their seven-year-old daughter before taking his own life. A subsequent coroner’s report revealed loopholes in the gun licensing process, particularly concerning Pattison’s history of coercive behaviour and his ability to access anxiety medication through online consultations without the involvement of his primary GP.
Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom & Ewell, has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, urging them to address these gaps in the current system.
“The devastating loss of Emma and Ellette Pattison underscores the urgent need to close any loopholes in the current system that could endanger public safety,” Maguire stated.
In her letter, Maguire called for the disclosure of any history of coercive behaviour to be a mandatory part of gun licence applications and renewals. She also highlighted the need to prevent individuals from accessing medication online without proper communication between the prescribing doctor and the applicant’s primary GP, whose responsibility is to report concerns to the gun licensing authorities.
“I trust that you will give these matters the serious consideration they deserve and look forward to your response,” Maguire wrote.
Pattison was first granted a shotgun licence in 2012. In 2016, his licence was revoked after police were notified of a domestic abuse incident, during which Emma Pattison was alleged to have assaulted her husband. However, the licence was reinstated later that year following a renewal application.
The Surrey coroner, Richard Travers, issued a prevention of future deaths report, stating that no consideration had been given to whether the 2016 domestic abuse allegation was indicative of coercive behaviour by George Pattison. The report also noted evidence of subsequent domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour by Pattison towards his wife, who was 45 when she was killed.
Travers recommended that licensing authorities should have access to full and accurate disclosure of an applicant’s history, particularly concerning coercive and controlling behaviour. The report further revealed that, during his 2022 licence renewal, George Pattison claimed he had not been treated for or diagnosed with anxiety, despite having been prescribed a significant amount of propranolol between 2019 and 2021 through online consultations.
You can read the full October 2024 issue below:
