Plymouth gunman assaulted youths in park

Police chose to keep him out of criminal justice process

It's been confirmed that Plymouth gunman Jake Davison's shotgun was taken off him after he admitted assaulting two youths in a park last year - but returned after he completed a police 'scheme' to stop people going through the criminal justice system.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) has now given more information into its investigation into the areas it will explore over how Devon and Cornwall Police came to its decision to allow the killer to have a gun licence and then return it to him after he admitted his role in an assault.
 
They've now confirmed he applied for a shotgun certificate in July 2017 and after the application was processed by Devon and Cornwall Police, a certificate was issued in January 2018, valid for five years. Mr Davison bought a shotgun two months later.
 
In September 2020, an allegation of assault on two youths in a park in Plymouth was made to police and Mr Davison was identified as the suspect the following month. He was interviewed and admitted his involvement. It was decided that the offences fitted the criteria for the force’s ‘Pathfinder’ scheme, a deferred caution-and-deferred charge scheme designed to deal with offenders outside the criminal justice process.
 
Two months after the assault, a scheme worker raised concerns with the force’s firearms licensing department that Mr Davison had a shotgun, and as a consequence the shotgun and certificate were seized by police on 7 December 2020.
 
Following Mr Davison’s completion of the Pathfinder scheme in March 2021 and a subsequent review by the firearms department, on 9 July the shotgun and certificate were returned to him.
 
The IOPC is investigating what police actions were taken and when, the rationale behind police decision-making, and whether relevant law, policy and procedures were followed concerning Mr Davison’s possession of a shotgun. It is also examining any sharing of information between the part of the force aware Mr Davison had been identified as a suspect for assault and the relevant department responsible for firearms licensing.
 
The investigation will consider what background and suitability checks were made by the police including from open source material, and whether the force had any information, from Mr Davison’s GP and any other medical or mental health services he may have engaged with, concerning his state of mind. It will also look at the force decision to divert Mr Davison from prosecution for the assaults last year.
 
As requested by the Plymouth senior coroner, the IOPC will as part of its investigation also consider what changes were made by police following our predecessor organisation’s (IPCC) investigation into firearms licensing issues concerning Durham Constabulary after fatal shootings on 1 January 2012.
 
IOPC regional director David Ford said: “Our thoughts remain with all those severely affected by the horrific events in Plymouth. We appreciate the significant public concern that has arisen and the need for answers to a range of questions for the safety of the public, and to understand what happened leading up to the tragedy. While we are at an early stage of our independent investigation, some information has been established about Jake Davison’s firearms licensing history which we have been able to share.
 
“I can assure people our investigation will be thorough and any lessons arising will be shared as quickly as possible with Devon and Cornwall Police and wider bodies as necessary. The force has co-operated fully with our enquiries and has provided relevant documentation and information to us to assist the investigation.  
 
“We have confirmed our earlier decision not to investigate police actions on the day of 12 August and, after further assessment of the swift attendance by police officers to the traumatic events that evening, we have decided there is no requirement for the IOPC to investigate any possible causal link between officers arriving and Mr Davison shooting himself.”