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No licence for fatal gun

By ADVERTISER REPORTER.

The Winchester pump-action shotgun used by Martin is capable of firing five shots before reloading, and users need to be granted a specific firearm licence from the police. 

Martin had no such licence.

His ordinary shotgun licence was revoked following an incident in 1994 when he disturbed a person apparently stealing apples from his orchard. Shots were fired and a row broke out.

Martin has also fired a shotgun at his brother Robin's house in Wisbech St Mary, Norfolk, in 1987 after an argument over some property.

And in June 1976, he fired a first world war revolver from a friend's house while in a distressed state.

The use of pump-action shotguns was widespread among farmers until the mass killings in Hungerford, carried out by Michael Ryan, forced the then Conservative Government into a rethink on the issue of gun control.

Martin's cousin, Mrs Peggy Russell has recalled how repeated burglaries at Bleak House Farm pushed him to the brink.

After the loss of £6,000-worth of antiques and crockery in May and the dumping of a bureau containing family papers in a ditch Martin turned his home into a fortress and bought three Rottweilers to protect it.

"What a way to live," said Mrs Russell, who lives in Norfolk.

"Tony minded his own business and never did anyone any harm. He wasn't vicious at all. He was a little odd and eccentric but he was harmless."

Martin told her he feared for his life.

"He told me he heard his window crash and then the burglars came in.

" He was absolutely petrified," she said.

"Tony took the law into his own hands.

" He didn't have any alternative.

"They would have beaten him up.

"If I had the means to shoot them I would have done so in his situation.

"They are parasites."

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