Twin of Gun Victim Says Delays to Licence Reforms Will Lead to More Deaths

Twin of Gun Victim Says Delays to Licence Reforms Will Lead to More Deaths

 

The twin sister of a woman murdered alongside her two daughters in a shooting has warned that government delays to gun licence reforms are putting lives at risk.

 

Emma Ambler, whose sister Kelly Fitzgibbons and nieces Ava, 4, and Lexi, 2, were killed by Kelly’s partner, Robert Needham, has spoken out after nearly five years of campaigning for tighter firearms laws. Needham, who legally owned a shotgun, used it to shoot Kelly and the children at their home in Woodmancote, West Sussex, before turning the gun on himself.

 

Ms Ambler believes the tragedy could have been prevented had the police followed proper vetting procedures and if more robust gun control measures were in place. “If Robert Needham had been refused a licence, my sister and nieces would still be alive today,” she said. “We’ve been fighting for change ever since, but the government is dragging its heels.”

 

A 2023 inquest found “significant failings” by Sussex Police in issuing Needham a shotgun licence. Despite a history of mental health issues and previous allegations of violence, he was granted a certificate. The coroner criticised the police’s lack of thorough background checks and said there was a “missed opportunity” to prevent the killings.

 

In the aftermath, Ms Ambler joined forces with campaigners and victims’ families to press for reforms to the UK’s gun licensing system. She has called for mandatory mental health checks, tougher background vetting, and a centralised database to track licence applications and revocations across forces.

 

While the Home Office launched a consultation into firearms licensing in 2023 and committed to strengthening guidance, campaigners argue progress has been painfully slow. A promised public consultation into statutory changes has yet to conclude, and no firm timeline has been given for implementing reforms.

 

“We can’t afford more delays,” Ms Ambler said. “Every day that passes without change increases the risk of another tragedy like ours. Gun ownership is a privilege, not a right. The system needs to reflect that.”

 

Gun control charities, including the Gun Control Network, have echoed her concerns, urging the government to make the licensing process consistent and accountable across all police forces. They argue that the current “postcode lottery” approach to licensing undermines public safety.

 

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are committed to making sure our gun laws are as robust as possible. We are carefully considering the feedback from our consultation and will announce next steps in due course.”

 

For Ms Ambler, the delay is frustrating and heartbreaking. “We lost three beautiful lives because of a failure in the system,” she said. “We’ve done everything we can to make sure this doesn’t happen to another family. Now it’s time for the government to do its part.”

 

She continues to campaign in her sister’s memory, hoping no other family will suffer the same preventable loss.

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