A serving police officer has been remanded in custody after admitting to taking home multiple shotguns and weapons that had been surrendered to him as part of official police duties.
The Discovery and Arrest
Alan Sharp, a 52-year-old constable with the Firearms and Explosive Licensing Department in Kinross, was caught during a search of his home in 2022. The investigation revealed he had taken possession of six shotguns and other weapons that members of the public had surrendered to him.
Sharp, who had been a police officer since 2001 and holds his own shotgun certificate, pleaded guilty yesterday to three charges under the Firearms Act and another of wilful neglect of police duty. He now faces a minimum five-year jail term.
How the Weapons Were Collected
The court heard that in January 2021, a man handed over parts of a rifle and two firearm barrels to Sharp at Kinross police station as part of a 'government surrender scheme'. Later that November, another man decided not to renew his shotgun licence due to old age.
Prosecutor Liam Ewing KC stated: 'Sharp went to his home and took possession of six shotguns. He told the man they would be held in a safe holding area and that they would be taken to Glasgow to be crushed.'
Sharp subsequently sent an email to the firearms licensing unit detailing that he had 'collected' the guns for 'destruction'. However, the weapons were later found in working order in a secure cabinet at his large home in Kinross. A total of 1,919 bullets were also seized during the search.
Breach of Duty and Consequences
Mr Ewing explained the seriousness of the officer's neglect: 'It was his duty, given the potential for loss of life or serious injury arising from the misuse of firearms, to ensure that the six shotguns surrendered were securely stored or taken to the armoury in Perth. He neglected his duty by falsely recording the shotguns were in storage... removing them from Kinross police station and taking them to his home.'
The court heard there was no record of Sharp signing out or removing the shotguns from official storage. Sharp qualified as a Firearms Enquiry Officer in 2015, making his actions particularly concerning given his specialised training.
In his defence, Sharp stated he had received an 'instruction' that firearms were not to be stored at Kinross police station and admitted he did not carry out proper checks 'due to work related stress and time constraints'.
Sharp had been on bail but was remanded in custody at the High Court in Glasgow. He will be sentenced on December 8, pending further proceedings.
