Thread: Do AO's

There's this but it's not related to a routine inspection

Search and Surveillance Act

18 Warrantless searches associated with arms
(1)A constable who has reasonable grounds to suspect that any 1 or more of the circumstances in subsection (2) exist in relation to a person may, without a warrant, do any or all of the following:
(a)search the person:
(b)search any thing in the person's possession or under his or her control (including a vehicle):
(c)enter a place or vehicle to carry out any activity under paragraph (a) or (b):
(d)seize and detain any arms found:
(e)seize and detain any licence under the Arms Act 1983 that is found.
(2)The circumstances are that the person is carrying arms, or is in possession of them, or has them under his or her control, and—
(a)he or she is in breach of the Arms Act 1983; or
(b)he or she, by reason of his or her physical or mental condition (however caused),—
(i)is incapable of having proper control of the arms; or
(ii)may kill or cause bodily injury to any person; or
(c)that, under the Domestic Violence Act 1995,—
(i)a protection order or a police safety order is in force against the person; or
(ii)there are grounds to make an application against him or her for a protection order.
(3)A constable may, without a warrant, enter a place or vehicle, search it, seize any arms or any licence under the Arms Act 1983 found there, and detain the arms or licence if he or she has reasonable grounds to suspect that there are arms in the place or vehicle—
(a)in respect of which a category 3 offence, a category 4 offence, or an offence against the Arms Act 1983 has been committed, or is being committed, or is about to be committed; or
(b)that may be evidential material in relation to a category 3 offence, a category 4 offence, or an offence against the Arms Act 1983.

I imagine they would revoke your licence because they can't confirm you have a safe way to store the firearms, then they could enter under SAS Act or apply for a warrant.

Could possibly have good cause to suspect from the start but it would be pushing it.

Originally Posted by Savage1

I imagine they would revoke your licence because they can't confirm you have a safe way to store the firearms, then they could enter under SAS Act or apply for a warrant.

Could possibly have good cause to suspect from the start but it would be pushing it.

I highly doubt that it would stand up in court if you refused to let an officer who showed up on your doorstep do a spot inspection then t hey took that as grounds to revoke your license and search the place anyway. I am not a lawyer but that seems like a gross breach of our freedoms