HAS H.O. Griffiths any knowledge of the laws governing the possession and use of airguns, ('Tighten up our weapon laws', Letters, December 15)?

The tenor of this letter suggests to the uninformed that there is little, or no, law to control their use.

Not so. There are masses of laws.

The problem is that many people who don't give a fig for the laws we have and an even greater number don't wish to get "involved" when witnessing a criminal act.

They believe it is nothing to do with them.

Add to this a popular culture of outstanding stupidity, including the proliferation of images which degrade and demean our humanity, and it is little wonder that the kind of cruelty visited upon the shot cats is likely to increase rather than diminish.

If airguns were to magically disappear tomorrow it would not result in less cruelty to cats.

The means of inflicting cruelty are almost limitless.

The most mundane objects, sharp and pointed, heavy and blunt can be used to inflict pain.

Airguns are not possessed of demons but, sadly, humans often are. The house brick flung from a motorway flyover is a far more potent weapon than a an airgun pellet.

A home-made catapult firing a steel ball bearing or lead ball can have twice the kinetic energy of the average airgun.

Shall we then move to ban elastic?

To reduce these acts of wanton cruelty the only answer is for the community - all of us - to be vigilant. A youth with an uncovered airgun in a public place is committing at least two offences and possibly more if under the age of 17.

Whether we have enough police to tackle the resulting intelligence is another matter.

Ian Waghorn,

Secretary,

York Jubilee Air Rifle and Pistol Club,

Chipstead Walk,

Strensall, York.

Updated: 11:16 Monday, December 20, 2004