Commonwealth Games: Shooter quizzed by police

A shooter attending the Commonwealth Games was quizzed by police after trying to check into her hotel with a shotgun.

Rachel Carrie's England team mate Caroline Povey in action during the Women's Trap finals at the Barry Buddon Shooting Centre. Picture: PA

Rachel Carrie, a competitive shooter from Leeds and affiliated with the England team, had travelled for five hours before arriving at the Dundee’s Malmaison Hotel.

Staff told her she was not allowed to keep the firearm in her room.

She said: “I got to the hotel at around 11pm. The staff asked me if I had brought a rifle to the premises.

“I replied no, it is a shotgun, and tried to explain my role in the Commonwealth Games. I have taken my Perazzi 12-gauge shotgun around the world. I have been to America and to most European countries and this has never happened before.”

It is understood Carrie was called up to Team England at the last second to fill a position in the Games, and was staying in a different hotel from the rest of the squad.

She drove up to Dundee for the ladies’ double-trap competition, which took place at the Barry Buddon shooting centre in Carnoustie.

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Carrie took to social media to vent her frustration.

She said on Twitter: “JUST getting to bed after a gruelling 5hr drive ended in @MalmaisonDundee refusing to let me have a gun with me for the #CommonwealthGames.”

She added: “#RT all gun owners @MailmaisonHotels DO NOT allow shotgun athletes to stay I was told this at 11pm after a 5hr drive finally got to bed at 2.30.”

Police attended the incident at the hotel to speak to Carrie.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Rachel Carrie is not a competitor at the Commonwealth Games, but is affiliated to Team England and was accredited to attend.

“She is therefore a private citizen checking into a hotel with a firearm, and firearms are required to be checked into the armoury, which did not happen on this occasion.

“She was accompanied to Dundee Police Office, where her firearm was placed in a secure area.”

Josie Simcox, general manager at Malmaison, said: “It’s company policy that we don’t allow firearms into guests’ bedrooms and that’s in line with Commonwealth Games instructions on safe storage of firearms.

“The police fully supported our stance on this, as did the Commonwealth Games Committee.”