Twisted gunman's family plea 'for action, not words' to prevent future horrors
The family of twisted killer gunman Jake Davison have made an impassioned plea for action to prevent future atrocities.
Speaking via their barrister, Davison’s brother and sister Josh and Zoe - said there had been ‘catastrophic’ failures of local and national policing.
It came a day after the inquest into Davison’s five victims concluded on Monday with the jury highly critical of Devon and Cornwall Police ’s firearms licensing unit.
Barrister Nick Stanage said: "The previous jury made robust findings yesterday.
“Today, my clients ask that those findings reinforce your own resolve to make an effective Preventing Future Deaths Report arising from all of these inquests.
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Police CCTV footage showing Davison's whereabouts prior to the shooting (Devon and Cornwall Police)“The previous jury’s findings highlighted ‘catastrophic’ failures in local and national policing. Plainly, that jury found that all of these deaths were obviously preventable."
He said: ”The protection of the public requires action now in contrast to the decades of institutional indolence, insouciance and incompetence locally and at the highest levels of government and policing.
“The bereaved in today’s inquest, and the public, deserve better than more paper promises.
Davison shot dead his mother Maxine Davison, 51
Stephen Washington died in the firearms incident (PA)“Zoe and Josh Davison therefore ask that you do all you can as soon as you can to make recommendations for actions, not words, that might begin at long last to protect the public from future atrocities.”
The comments came during the inquest into Davison’s death on Tuesday which looked into how the 22-year-old apprentice crane operator used his legally held pump action shotgun to carry out one of the worst gun massacres in Britain for more than a decade.
Davison shot dead his mother Maxine Davison, 51, after an argument at their family home.
Kate Shepherd, 66, was fatally injured (BBC)He then went into the street outside his home where he killed 43 year old Lee Martyn and his three year old daughter Sophie as they walked their dog.
He then shot and wounded a woman and her grown up son who were neighbours.
He then walked into a park and shot dead dog walker Stephen Washington, 59, before fatally injuring artist Kate Shepherd, 66, outside a salon.
Patrick Maguire, representing the Keyham victims' families, speaking after the inquest's conclusion (PA)Davison then turned the gun on himself as an unarmed police officer tried to intervene and confront him.
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The inquest heard Davison had been granted a shotgun certificate by Devon and Cornwall Police in January 2018 for five years.
The certificate and weapon were seized by the force in December 2020 after he assaulted two teenagers in a park, but were returned weeks before the killings.
The jury returned a conclusion of suicide in respect of Davison.
A pump action shotgun (top) used by Davison next to a tactical single barrel 12-gauge pump action shotgun (below) (PA)The inquest into Davison’s five victims concluded on Monday and the jury was highly critical of Devon and Cornwall Police’s firearms licensing unit.
They also cited national failings with the failure of successive governments to implement the findings of the Cullen Report following the Dunblane massacre in 1996.
The senior Plymouth and south Devon coroner Ian Arrow “I will be writing to the Home Secretary dealing with the legislation changes that have been highlighted to me,” he said.
Home Office minister Chris Philp committed to make “any further changes needed to protect the public” as he made a statement to the House of Commons linked to the Plymouth shootings.
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