Just spotted this story

Well, he brought the situation on himself - leaving weapons in full public view (for no good reason) is going to cause problems. Luckily the inappropriate police request to destroy the historic artifact was refused by a sensible and reasoned judge and given the defendant's careless storage of things that look like firearms I'd say telling him to make sure they are locked up was a very reasonable one - perhaps he will be more careful now.

So the police were overzealous and disproportionate (nothing new there) and it DOESN'T mean deacts (or similar) have to be locked up by everyone, just this numpty and by order of a judge, not 'plod'.

Having a tank in front of your house while you load guns and kit in your car tends to tell even the most dumb that it must all be legal

Maybe a sticker on the car window that would give some idea he was a battle re-enactor could help.

However I know many would not like to advertise the fact that they may have expensive gear in the car.

This is a symptom of the public not knowing such things as WW2 battle re-enactment exist or that many gun-looking objects are still legal.
Blair gave the impression to most people that he had waved his wand and all the nasty things had jumped into a pit never to be seen again. All this while he was creating world peace invading several countries.

However as CW says if you have guns in the car in a public place keep them covered over well.
If it had been a WW2 Kubelwagon etc then it would have been obvious.
If it had been a Ford Fiesta then people would have not looked in the window.

The fact that it was a British classic car made people look inside.

it's a cautionary tail for all off us,luckily for him good sense of the judge prevailed,my personal view is that i wouldent mind haveing to keep my rif's in a locking cabinete and haveing a permit at least that would be an effective legislation rather than the crazy mish mash of useless too overzealous laws we now have,ive been pulled over by plod twice with a boot full of guns (all covered up) and fully expected to be there for hour's explaining only to find no interest at all in the guns even though i pointed them out rather than have the police find them unexpectedly.

Having a tank in front of your house while you load guns and kit in your car tends to tell even the most dumb that it must all be legal

But for this guy it wasn't legal. He had no good reason to have these weapons in a public place. That is against the law.
Owning a Kubelwagon is also not a good reason to have them in a public place.
Buy a bloody gun slip, they are not expensive and it avoids all this crap.
Be responsible. Dont mess it up for yourself and for all of us.
This guy has caused himself all kinds of hurt. He now has a weapons related judgement against him. His plee was guilty and was gived a conditional discharge. If he wants to ever rent a firearm for a battle re-enactment he may be refused because of his stupidity in this case. Section 5 hire companies have a set of rules they must stick to.

The point is many people still know what a gun slip contains no matter if you cannot see the gun. Even the most stupid would know you are not transporting sausages.

When I used to transport firearms I would have them in a tennis racket bag etc.

A gun cover does not make a fully working firearm legal if you do not have a licence for it.

Many people now think anything gun shaped has to be illegal particularly if it is seen in an unrelated circumstance.
Someone with a gun case or gun part on show at a petrol station etc.

While for some reason a 5ft long 50cal MG mounted on a willys jeep tends not to get the phones ringing, more like the phones come out to take a photo.

As for locking all my RIFs in a steel box mine would have to be a bank vault

The sooner those matter transporters get invented the better as it will stop law breaking on the way to a venue etc.

Anyway it's a good job a car show isn't a public place or I would be arrested.

The point is many people still know what a gun slip contains no matter if you cannot see the gun. Even the most stupid would know you are not transporting sausages.

When I used to transport firearms I would have them in a tennis racket bag etc.

A gun cover does not make a fully working firearm legal if you do not have a licence for it.

Many people now think anything gun shaped has to be illegal particularly if it is seen in an unrelated circumstance.
Someone with a gun case or gun part on show at a petrol station etc.

While for some reason a 5ft long 50cal MG mounted on a willys jeep tends not to get the phones ringing, more like the phones come out to take a photo.

As for locking all my RIFs in a steel box mine would have to be a bank vault

The sooner those matter transporters get invented the better as it will stop law breaking on the way to a venue etc.

Anyway it's a good job a car show isn't a public place or I would be arrested.

Well thought through, valid arguments all...

yes, there us a difference between breaking the law and getting stopped/arrested by a police officer.

In an ideal world you should conduct your affairs so as not give rise to investigation by the police AND to be legal. Do both and you have a hassle-free airsofting/reenacting life. Ignore the former and risk at the least some stressful time with the police (just the thought of police officers visiting my house and questioning me is sufficient to make me super-careful) and at worst arrest/charging and court appearance. Ignore the latter and you deserve what's coming to you.

Yes you have to remember that most of the time these days you are Guilty until proven innocent as far as the law is concerned in these matters.

Okay, he should have put his guns in a case, any sensible person would. But I am curious, if the offence is "posessing an imitation firearm in a public place" does this not actually still happen even if it's in a case? Just because no one can see it? You still posess it. You are still in a public place. Does this mean we, technically, cannot take them out of the house?

No, I think the wording of the law states that as long as you're on the way to or from an event or other valid reason and as long as it's out of sight you're ok.

I'm not sure of the technical charge (I don't know if "posessing an imitation firearm in a public place" is even the correct or complete phrase) but it patently ISN'T illegal to transport airsoft guns or deactived or even real firearms in or through public places (although real firearms have to be carried in an approved manner). It isn't even illegal to USE imitation fire arms in public places - think of photography, TV, film, or even airsoft games where the police have been informed - or at least if it IS technically illegal the police can use their discretion on whether to arrest/charge.

In this case a member of the public brought it to the police's attention and following actions flowed from that. Had the policeman spotted it he could no doubt have made enquiries and then made a decision on how to proceed from there (friendly warning, caution, arrest etc).

By the way, just because a policeman says something it doesn't make it 'law'. I rather fancy the subject of this newspaper article made things a bit difficult for himself - all this kerfuffle at court must have had a basis other than having a deact accidentally on show...

As an interesting aside does his car count as a "public space"? or does it count to just be visible?
If I sneaked up to someone's house or used a telescope and looked into the window where there was a gun rack or cabinet would the same trouble be caused?
Is he not allowed to smoke in his car? (with it counting as public)

Heh, some light reading: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/d_to_g/firearms/

And this:
Section 19 Firearms Act 1968
Carrying firearm in a public place.
A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place
(a)a loaded shot gun,
(b)an air weapon (whether loaded or not),
(c)any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or
(d)an imitation firearm.

An airsofter's defence is clear and legal then, when going to and from games/retailers/repairers etc etc. Routinely carrying an airsoft pistol in the glovebox clearly isn't legal.
Allowing them to be visible when transporting them clearly isn't legal.

just the bit I was thinking of!

Oh, and an AFRA card would be very useful to show to an inquisitive policeman - it carries a telephone number and on answer a nice AFRA admin will give a verbal OK that the person in question is bonio fido. Well worth £15 a year in my book, let alone anything else ... (but probably won't help if you have left a gun on the back seat of your car in a supermarket carpark ).

This clown was parked on double yellows.....
Even the AFRA card wont help if you have been a numpty.

I'm not sure of the technical charge (I don't know if "posessing an imitation firearm in a public place" is even the correct or complete phrase)

Must be correct, it was in the Daily Mail!

Then it must be so but all I could find was "possession of firearm with intent to cause fear of violence" and "carrying a firearm in a public place" - the first of which would be a very serious charge (and I think is the one for which a banana could be sufficient).

Oh wait, that was the 1968 Act - in 2004 "Possession of air weapon or imitation firearm in public place" was introduced.

Hertfordshire Police advice
3. This section will come into force on 20 January 2004. It adds to the list of firearms covered by the offence in section 19 of the Firearms Act 1968 of carrying a firearm in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. That offence currently applies to loaded shotguns, loaded air weapons or any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with its ammunition.
Subsection 1 of section 37 adds to this unloaded air weapons and imitation firearms. Subsection 3 adds the offence to the list of arrestable offences in England and Wales set out in Schedule 1A to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
4. An imitation firearm is already defined in section 57(4) of the 1968 Act and covers anything which has the appearance of being a firearm whether or not it is capable of discharging a shot, bullet or other missile.
5. A public place is also defined in section 57(4) of the 1968 Act. It includes any highway and any other premises or place to which at the material time the public have or are permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise.
6. There is no statutory definition of a reasonable excuse. This will depend on the facts and circumstances prevailing at the time and police officers will need to exercise discretion when deciding what action, if any, is appropriate in each individual case. It should be borne in mind that the intention of the offence is to protect the public from the misuse of firearms and there is no intention of preventing legitimate activities such as actors using imitations for film or theatrical work or historical re-enactment.