Government urged to publish crossbow review before ‘more lives are lost’

The results of a review of crossbow ownership laws must be published now by the Government before more lives are lost, MPs backing a Sunday Express campaign warn.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper promised an urgent review after the tragic deaths of three women from the same family, who died from stab wounds and crossbow bolt injuries in their own home on July 9. Carole Hunt, 61, wife of TV racing presenter John Hunt, and two of their daughters, Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28, were killed in the devastating attack in Bushey, Herts.

Kyle Clifford, 26, has been charged with their murders and is in custody awaiting trial. He is expected to enter a plea next month. But three months on there has been silence on regulating crossbow sales from Ms Cooper.

And the Government has also yet to publish the outcome of a study on whether ownership laws needed tightening, carried out by the Tories before July’s general election.

Although it stopped taking evidence in April, the results have yet to be published.

Tory MP Sir John Hayes has put his weight behind the Sunday Express Crackdown on Crossbows drive, which calls for the introduction of a licensing scheme similar to those for firearms.

Sir John, MP for South Holland and the Deepings, said: “It is absolutely essential the Home Secretary publishes the results of the call for ­evidence and of her own review and action is taken about crossbow ownership before more lives are lost.”

Our campaign now has cross-party support, with backing from Bayo Alaba, Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford.

He has been supporting relatives of Dave Peck, 51, killed by a crossbow bolt in a pub in December 2022.

Alfred Turner, 45, was given life after pleading guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility.

Mr Alaba said: “Crossbows need to be brought in line with firearms. This is a gap in the law which, as the Dave Peck case shows, has the capacity to create untold misery and pain.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The responses to the call for evidence on strengthening controls has been reviewed and ministers are considering if further controls and measures are required. We will be introducing a Crime and Policing Bill, and this will include new measures on knives and other weapons.”