GUN campaigner Linda Mitchell has slammed Government claims that licensing the owners of potentially deadly air guns would be a waste of resources.
Linda has waged a war on air guns after her son was shot in the face with a pellet.
She won a victory when the Government announced all sales of air guns should be licensed – but she said she would not rest until all the weapons were off the stree
ts.
But she is furious at Home Office Minister Hazel Blears's rejection of moves to force all existing owners to register their guns – because it would create too much paperwork.
Speaking at the House of Commons, Ms Blears said the introduction of licences would be "disproportionate" in terms of how much time would be spent filing paper work, compared to how effective the scheme would be in cutting crime.
Linda, of Beatrice Street, Roker, said: "Public safety should always come first.
"Money can't take priority over public safety. We need to disregard the financial costs and see that the personal cost to families is enormous.
"Ministers don't see that side of the issue. You can never understand it until you have worked with the families and seen the devastating effect these crimes have.
"If it boils down to how much the scheme will cost and the time it would take up, then it's not much of an argument, in my opinion."
Ms Blears was speaking in response to questions from Houghton and Washington East MP Fraser Kemp, who is demanding tougher action over violent air gun crime.
Linda, 41, has been campaigning for four years to have air gun laws tightened, after her son Micah, then 10, was hit in the face by a pellet.
Last week, the Government relented to pressure from Linda and the award-winning Echo campaign to push through new controls on air guns, as part of amendments to the Violent Crime Reduction Bill.
Anyone wanting to buy an air gun will have to go to a registered dealer and the new laws will deter the sale of air guns at car boot sales and market stalls.
Any weapons sold will also have to be handed over face-to-face, allowing sellers to check for proof of age and cutting illegal internet sales.
Mr Kemp, who is backing Linda's campaign, said: "I was disappointed about Friday's comments but it won't prevent the campaign from going on."
