Child airgun yobs shoot teen in eye

POLICE are hunting children as young as six after a schoolboy was shot in the eye with an airgun.

The 15-year-old victim was hit by a pellet from the BB gun as he walked along a lane in Dalkeith.

Witnesses reported seeing three children aged between six and eight running from the scene.

The teenage victim was lucky to escape serious injury in the incident, which could easily have blinded him.

Police today appealed for help to trace the boys suspected of carrying out the attack, which took place on Saturday afternoon.

The shooting has shocked community leaders and today sparked renewed calls for the outlawing of air weapons. A police spokesman said: "Officers wish to speak to anyone who has any information surrounding an assault that took place at around 2pm on Saturday, June 2.

"The victim, a 15-year-old, was walking in the alley between Woodburn Gardens and Woodburn Road, Dalkeith when he was struck in the eye by a pellet.

"The three suspects are described as male, aged between six and eight."

The deputy leader of Midlothian Council, Colin Beattie, said the incident showed the need for tougher laws to control the use of airguns. He said: "There have been so many incidents involving weapons like this in the hands of youths that these laws really need to be addressed.

"We've been saying for some time that the Scottish Parliament should have control over this.

"It's disgraceful that kids as young as this can get their hands on such a dangerous weapon.

I'm not convinced at that age they can be sure of the consequences of what they are doing. I still hope they are caught, though, and we ensure this doesn't happen again."

There were 244 incidents involving airguns reported to police in Lothian and Borders last year - a rise of almost 50 per cent from six years ago. The growing problem has led to various moves to have the weapons banned from public use.

Solidarity leader Tommy Sheridan has proposed a Bill at the Scottish Parliament which would ban them for any use other than controlled sports or pest control.

Council officials in Edinburgh are looking at the possibility of introducing a by-law to ban airguns in the city. In March, senior councillors vowed to ban the weapons after hearing about the rising number of incidents handled by city police.

Isabel Mulligan, treasurer of Dalkeith Community Council, said: "I'm absolutely gobsmacked. If they are so young you have to ask where on earth they got the weapon from."