Kids with guns

Thirteen children under the age ten have been issued with shotgun certificates over the past three years, but are not allowed to use it without adult supervision until they are 15. The youngest child to be given a gun is seven years old, figures where obtained by the BBC news show.
Last year, the association of the chief police officers asked that the under tens be banned from wielding a shotgun, but the British Association for Shooting and Conservation says “children only use guns for sport activities”.
The statistics were released by 51 police forces under the freedom of information act. Dorset was the only police force not to provide the information.
Between 2008 and 2010, 7071 licenses were given to those under 18 year old. Devon and Cornwall police granted the most certificates, 418, followed by west Mercia, 346, and that is followed closely by Norfolk, 324.
Ten shotgun certificates were issued to nine year olds, two police forces West Mercia and Cumbria – both approved a certificate for an eight year old. In 2008, Gloucestershire police granted a certificate to a child who was only seven years old. Under current laws there is no minimum age for applying for a shotgun certificate in the UK. The decision to grant a licence rests with a senior police officer.