ONE of Scotland's leading private schools is planning to install a new security camera system after thugs fired an air weapon at pupils, hitting one in the face.
The incident at Hutchesons' Grammar, in Glasgow, involved a gang of children on BMX bikes cycling past the playground and opening fire with a BB gun, hitting a Primary 5 pupil near the eye.
The £8,000-a-year school has written to parents about the
incident, which was last night described as "shocking" by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who added it reinforced the need for stricter controls on air weapons.
The school is also considering CCTV cameras as part of a beefed-up security regime.
The incident prompted Strathclyde Police to issue new warnings about the dangers of BB guns, which are often indistinguishable from real firearms.
The attack took place on Wednesday, September 24, but has only just come to light. It was the same day as a council strike that closed many state-run schools near Hutchesons'.
Scotland on Sunday understands that three boys on BMX bikes cycled past the private school's playground during lunch hour. One, believed to be as young as nine, fired his BB gun into the school.
The child who was hit suffered a "minor graze" but police are taking the incident extremely seriously and are still investigating.
Jim Green, an assistant chief constable at Strathclyde, last night issued a stark warning on the guns. He said: "It is alarming that children are getting their hands on these weapons. Unfortunately, we have seen in Strathclyde that air guns can kill and every year people are injured as a result of the misuse of air weapons, BB guns and replica firearms.
"Our message is very important: we need people, especially parents, to understand that these weapons are not toys, and under no circumstances should parents be purchasing these weapons to be played with as toys. They have killed and can seriously injure people.
"It is not just up to the police. Parents need to know what their child is up to, who they are with and what they are doing. We do not want any more incidents to end in tragedy."
A sheriff in Greenock earlier this year called for severe restrictions on BB weapons, which are often sold as replicas and fire plastic or metal pellets. Rajni Swanney told one teenage defendant in her courtroom: "I don't like the look of these things. It is sufficiently real-looking to cause alarm."
The guns are often packaged like toys, and many parents have bought them for pre-teens. They range in price from £5 for a low-power "pocket money" gun to nearly £120 for an automatic weapon styled to look like a standard British Army assault rifle and capable of firing up to 300 rounds of pellets without being reloaded.
BB guns are not as powerful as standard air guns. But responsible manufacturers warn users to wear goggles and not to shoot at other people.
The Hutchesons' incident comes amid heightened concerns this year about the widespread sale of BB guns, either in shops or by mail order.
MacAskill has tried to work with his counterpart in the UK Government to ban all air weapons.
He said: "This is exactly the kind of shocking incident that reminds us that the misuse of firearms can have tragic consequences, not to mention the fear and alarm they can cause in communities.
"Glasgow and Scotland have seen too many tragedies where children have been killed or injured by air weapons and imitation firearms. They are weapons, not toys. We are determined to make sure action is taken to reduce irresponsible use of BB guns and other imitation firearms in our streets."
MacAskill has asked Westminster for new powers to allow Scotland to license air guns. He has considerable cross-party support for the measure, especially after baby Andrew Morton in Glasgow was killed three years ago by a ricocheting air gun pellet. BB pellets, experts believe, are particularly likely to ricochet.
The Scottish Government is also working with police forces to keep parents warned about the dangers of the guns.
Hutchesons' rector Ken Greig told Scotland on Sunday: "The incident caused distress, particularly to our younger children, and highlights the dangers which can be caused by the misuse of these potentially harmful toy guns."
Hutchesons' insists it has an "excellent relationship" with its neighbours. But last month's shooting is not the first time pupils from Hutchesons' have been targeted.
One parent, who declined to be identified, told Scotland on Sunday that Hutchesons' pupils were regularly targeted by locals. "They get spat at when they walk home. Children have been beaten up. This isn't the first time this kind of thing has happened."
The primary school, where fees can reach £7,772 a year, lies close to Govanhill, one of the most deprived places in Britain. The secondary is not far from poorer parts of Pollokshields.
The full article contains 833 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
