Many, many years ago in London, a policeman was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two burglars on the roof of a warehouse. It was a time when only soldiers carried guns. The newspapers were engaged with this story for ages. Shock! Horror! Policeman killed by armed robber! This was the notorious Craig and Bently case, a tale of questionable capital punishment in itself.

       Today, in cities such as Manchester and Nottingham and East London the police are having to deal with gun incidents by gang members with illegal possession on a daily basis, sometimes resulting in deaths or injuries. Even automatic machine type guns from certain Eastern bloc countries have been confiscated.

       My, how things have changed!