Recurring concern

Unsafe storage of firearms

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First reported 25 Feb 2016•Latest report 12 Jul 2019

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes only assertions that directly instantiate the manually reviewed condition ‘Unsafe storage of firearms’ and satisfy this evidence boundary: Both distinct reports directly identify absent or incomplete secure firearm storage. Licensing, premises approval and acquisition are established by only one report and cannot define the recurring parent; narrow the parent and memberships to the shared secure-storage condition.

Not included

  • Excludes firearm training or competence deficiencies where licensing, acquisition or secure-storage controls are not the shared unsafe condition.
  • Excludes lawful firearm use or individual shooting incidents where no continuing failure in licensing, acquisition or secure-storage arrangements is identified.
  • Excludes general weapons, ammunition or explosive-storage concerns unless the assertion explicitly concerns firearm licensing, acquisition or secure storage.
  • Excludes unrelated police information-sharing or firearms-suitability issues that do not directly affect the firearm licensing and secure-storage control system.
  • Excludes manifestations outside the manually reviewed boundary: Both distinct reports directly identify absent or incomplete secure firearm storage. Licensing, premises approval and acquisition are established by only one report and cannot define the recurring parent; narrow the parent and memberships to the shared secure-storage condition.
Reports
2

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
2

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2016–2019

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
2

Described in published responses

Reports over time

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary1
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs1
Hamerton Zoological Park1
Health and Safety Executive1
Lincolnshire Police1
Local Government Association1
Sphere Risk Health & Safety Management Ltd1

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

    AI-generated summary

    ROSA ANN KING · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Rosa Ann King, a senior carnivore keeper at Hamerton Zoological Park, died on 29 May 2017 after being attacked by a Malayan tiger while exiting the tiger paddock. She had entered while the tiger slides were open, and the report identified concerns about reliance on keeper reliability, fatigue from night-time hand-rearing work, the absence of air-lock type double gates, and lack of access to conventional firearms. The report also raised concerns about insufficient guidance, risk assessment and inspection of these safety arrangements.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to complete approval, secure storage and acquisition of conventional firearms

    Wider context from the report

    “5.1.2 I heard evidence that the zoo has taken measures for two members of staff to obtain firearms’ licences and they have received firearms training. However, I heard evidence that the zoo has not yet been approved as premises to hold firearms (action for which rests with the firearms licensing department at the local constabulary) and the zoo has not yet fitted appropriate firearm secure containers. While moving to hold conventional firearms has been made a condition of the zoo’s licence under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 (ZLA), I am concerned that more than two years after Rosa’s death, the process of the zoo obtaining conventional firearms has still not been completed. This carries a risk of further deaths. ”

    Source location

    ROSA ANN KING · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 3 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Consulted stakeholders, developed and published new Standards requiring stronger controls for hazardous-animal firearms, enclosure access, safe systems of work and lone working.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “I can confirm that between 1 March 2022 and 21 June 2022 Defra undertook a targeted consultation on draft new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain (hereafter the ‘new Standards’). Defra consulted zoos, animal keepers, welfare groups, local authorities and worked with the UK Zoos Expert Committee, an advisory body whose purpose is to provide independent, impartial and expert advice to Defra and UK zoo Ministers, on the new Standards. Following the consultation we have also undertaken extensive further stakeholder engagement to enable us to introduce clearer new”

    Source location

    Response from DEFRA (Update July 2025)
    Page 1 · response
    Published 18 September 2019

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Update standard zoo inspection report templates to reflect the new firearms, double-door, safe-system-of-work and training requirements.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Defra will now ensure that the standard zoo inspection report templates are updated in line with the requirements in the new Standards as set out in point (6.2) above. During the inspection process the inspector will be expected to confirm that zoos with any Category 1A or Category 1 listed primate, terrestrial member of the order Carnivora, elephant or hoofed mammal have suitable and sufficient firearms and ammunition, appropriate for the species housed, kept on the zoo premises for use by authorised staff, and that at least one member of staff who is licensed and trained in the use of firearms is available on the zoo premises during operational hours and is able to attend the premises within 20 minutes outside of operational hours.”

    Source location

    Response from DEFRA (Update July 2025)
    Page 3 · response
    Published 18 September 2019

    Open published response

  2. South Lincolnshire

    AI-generated summary

    David Palmer · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    David Palmer, aged 59, died from a massive head injury caused by an unlicensed shotgun. The report notes that unlicensed firearms are generally not stored securely and may be available for impulsive use, and states that three of four firearm deaths investigated involved unlicensed weapons.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of secure storage of unlicensed firearms

    Wider context from the report

    “In the three and a half years I have investigated 4 deaths resulting from self-inflicted firearm wounds. Three of those involved unlicensed weapons. These weapons are generally not stored securely and are thus available for impulsive use. ”

    Source location

    David Palmer · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report
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Data last updated 7 September 2026