CRIME SPECIAL

Gun crime

Gun culture - the community is fighting back

Inside Out follows the story of Pat Regan, a Leeds mother of six who's making it her life's mission to get guns off Britain's streets.

Pat's son Danny, 27, was a well-known dealer of class A drugs in Leeds, working his way up the gangland ladder.

On December 12th 2002, he answered his front door, and was shot dead by an unknown assailant.

His killer has never been found, but there's no doubt his murder was drugs related.

Pat knows there are some who would say that her son's death was merely another gangland killing, ridding the city of another drug dealer.

She tells Inside Out how she tried to dissuade her son from his involvement in the drug scene without success, how she has witnessed guns now becoming a way of life on Yorkshire's inner city streets - and how she fears for the consequences throughout our society.

Since Danny's death, Pat, running a support group Mothers Against Guns, has waged a campaign to bring home the real terror of gun culture.

She now makes it her business to talk to young people in her community, and she gives frank, no-holds-barred talks in schools.

She's got strong vocal support in a new, national campaign, spearheaded by a new single 'Why?' from the group Soul Deep.

Pat, along with other mothers who've lost children to the gun, features prominently in the hard hitting track.

We follow the launch of the track, and the effects the campaign has on the lives of those mothers whose children have been killed in growing wave of gun crime.

"I think if my Danny could come back now, he'd be standing right here beside me, saying, 'yeah Mum, you tell 'em'... My Danny's death cannot be in vain.

"Something good has to come out of something so bad."
Pat Regan

Links relating to this story:

• Mothers Against Guns
  
• Don't Trigger
• Home Office
  West Yorkshire Police
  Gun Control Network
  Gun Site Club Register
  National Criminal Intelligence Service

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Howard Marks

King of cannabis - Howard Marks was once a drugs baron

Howard Marks in best known as a former drugs baron - 'Mr Nice' as he became known.

But his connection with the criminal world went sour in 1990 when he was jailed for 25 years.

After serving seven years in a US prison, he was released.

Now he's given up smuggling. He's a writer and, he's moved to Leeds.

Howard is used to the high life, but he's having a quieter time in Yorkshire.

He loves boats - Howard once smuggled a ship load of cannabis by canal. But now he just likes the peace and tranquility.

Howard has always been a survivor, but you can't help wondering what his lifestyle has done to his family.

Howard's wife, Judy, went to jail after his arrest. The marriage has broken down, but he's still close to his children.

So what does a big-time criminal do when he retires? Howard gives one man shows.

He's still making a career out of cannabis too, but legally - he now campaigns for it to be legalised.

Of course, not everyone agrees, but he's popular with students.

Inside Out follows Howard around Yorkshire looking at how he plans to grow old gracefully.

Right side of the law

Howard has found that it's easier being on the right side of the law.

These days, he's coming to terms with getting older.

Sounds like he's beginning to act his age. We take him on a canal trip and to a tea dance in Brighouse - no drugs or rock and roll here.

Howard's really getting into it. But is Howard ready for when he gets his bus pass?

Looks like Howard's doing ok - but this guy's never going to be your average pensioner!

Links relating to this story:

• Howard Marks

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Drunken behaviour

Binge drinking and anti-social behaviour - target for police

Inside Out investigates Humberside Police's zero tolerance approach on anti-social behaviour.

Hull city centre on a busy Friday night and Humberside Police are out in force.

We join the police as they deal with anti-social behaviour and low level crime on the streets.

The Humberside force is a strong advocate of zero tolerance policing.

Fifty police are on duty on the night that Inside Out follows them in their attempt to crackdown on anti-social behaviour.

The police are actively looking for people engaged in unsuitable nuisance activities such as urinating in the street.

On the spot fines of £80 are handed out to anyone caught exhibiting unwelcome behaviour.

Since the campaign's launch earier this year over 1,000 on the spot fines have been given out resulting a revenue of £80,000.

During Inside Out's evening with the force eleven arrests were made for this type of crime.

Hull is one of the leading forces in adopting this approach which follows on from measures outlined in the government's Violent Crime Bill 2005.

But not everyone supports this zero tolerance approach. The human rights organisation Liberty is concerned that it is an infringement of civil liberties, and argues that it does little to reduce crime.

Liberty is concerned about the use of these measures in conjunction with CCTV, arguing that it may not be the best use of resources.

It also thinks that such attention to low level crime can cause a relatively calm situation to escalate.

Humberside Police, however, point to a 40 per cent drop in contact crimes over the period that the zero tolerance measures have been operating.

Not all licensees are sure about the scheme either. Some believe that a highly visible police presence is bad for trade.

Inside Out examines both sides of the zero tolerance debate.

Read the Violent Crime Reduction Bill

Links relating to this story:

• Humberside Police
• Liberty
• Home Office
  Violent Crime Reduction Bill

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites