By Steve Bargeton, political editor

MINISTERS AND police chiefs yesterday called on people throughout Scotland to “get shot” of air guns.

The plea comes in the wake of the death of Glasgow toddler Andrew Morton earlier this month in a shooting incident.

Some 55 air weapons have already been handed in to police since First Minister Jack McConnell made an initial appeal two weeks ago.

From today anyone can walk into any police station and hand in an air gun. They may be asked to give their name and address but are not obliged to do so.

As air guns are legal the move is technically not an amnesty and there is no penalty for handing them in, but ministers have ruled out rewarding owners who choose to voluntarily dispose of their weapons.

Legislation controlling air guns is reserved to Westminster, and Scottish ministers are urging their UK counterparts to consider further measures including a ban.

In the meantime the Executive is hoping a voluntary scheme will remove some of the estimated half a million air weapons from circulation north of the border.

Launching a new leaflet—If You Don’t Need It, Get Shot Of It—to raise awareness of the dangers of these weapons Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said, “As recent tragic events have shown air guns are neither harmless nor are they toys.

“The Executive has now asked the Home Office to look further still at this legislation on air guns to see if more improvements can be made to protect the public and stop their misuse. We want nothing ruled in or out at this stage.

“However we aren’t simply waiting for that review to be completed. There are also practical steps that we and the general public can take now to address this issue. Today we are launching a leaflet that will appeal to those who may have an air gun at home to think again about why they need one—and what might happen if it falls into the wrong hands.

“The leaflet outlines the law as it stands on air guns and urges anyone who is concerned about a legal weapon in their possession to hand it in to their local police station. No penalty will be imposed upon them for the possession of the gun and, instead, they will benefit from the knowledge that they are playing their part in helping to prevent another air gun tragedy. Quite simply, if you don’t need an air gun, get shot of it.”

David Mellor, Fife’s depute chief constable and Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland spokesman on the licensing of firearms, said there is public concern at the ease at with which air weapons can be obtained.

This was particularly worrying given that modern air weapons and the development of ammunition has led to “much greater accuracy and lethality.”

The latest statistics show that in 2003 the misuse of air weapons resulted in 112 people being injured and 255 recorded cases of damage to property.

The UK Government has tightened up the law, making it an offence to possess an air gun in a public place without reasonable excuse, and raising the minimum age for air gun ownership.

A ban has also been placed on the future import, manufacture, sale or transfer of air guns with a self-contained gas cartridge system, while those already held must now be licensed.

* In Fife the dangers of air rifles have also been highlighted by police in recent years and have been evident through the number of cases at the local sheriff courts.

Last month, for example, a 21-year-old man had his air rifle forfeited at Kirkcaldy. He was admonished after discharging the .22 calibre weapon towards industrial estates in Cardenden.

In a case reported at Cupar two years ago a 40-year-old man was convicted of brandishing an air rifle at people climbing in the countryside, and of threatening to shoot the tyres of vehicles.

Around the same time a 17-year-old from Dunfermline was fined £150 after admitting he was in possession of an air rifle in public.

Other frightening incidents reported by police in Fife during recent years have included the smashing of a window in an Aberdeen to King’s Cross express after an air rifle was fired at the train. Nobody was injured but the potential to cause serious injury or death was there.

A warning was issued by police in Glenrothes three years ago that it was only a matter of time before someone is badly hurt or even killed because of the reckless use of air guns in the town.

There was an incident in St Andrews in 2001 when an 18-month-old girl was left fighting for her life after being accidentally shot in the head by an air rifle at her home; and an incident the same year when a Kelty teenager was charged with shooting and injuring another teenager in the head with an air rifle.

* In Tayside in 2003 there were 34 recorded instances of the weapons being used to vandalise property. The guns have also been used to threaten or harm people.

Cases coming before sheriff courts last year included a man being jailed after shooting someone in the head outside a doctors’ surgery in Dundee; a 16-year-old fined for firing at a 13-year-old in the city; and an Arbroath teenager put on probation for repeatedly firing an air pistol into a street.

A Tayside Police spokesman said, “We would encourage all owners of air guns, and indeed their families, to seriously consider whether they actually require that weapon.

“An air gun that is lost or stolen invariably falls into irresponsible hands and the consequences that follow can be extremely serious,” he said.

“If you own an air gun and it is gathering dust in the attic or at the back of the cupboard, we would urge you to hand it in to your local police office.”