‘Eccentric’ millionaire is not allowed to keep guns

A millionaire property tycoon has been told he can’t have his shotgun and rifle licences returned, because he is “eccentric”.

Fergus Wilson, 66, lost the right to keep the 10 weapons at his home after a bust up with a Folkestone estate agent.

Police carried out an investigation and revoked the licences after officers went to one of the tycoon’s homes, where the guns were kept, and found he had moved.

Inside the property they found nearly 1,000 rounds of rifle ammunition which had been bought in August 1998.

Wilson was convicted of assaulting Daniel Wells, 31, in an argument over a boiler and was later given a restraining order after an argument with an energy company.

Now a judge and two magistrates have rejected Wilson’s appeal against a decision by Kent’s Chief Constable not to grant new licences.

Emmaline Lambert, for the Chief Constable, said Wilson had applied for the renewal in August 2013.

A firearms inquiry officer went to the address on the licence, in Long Lane, Boughton Monchelsea, near Maidstone, but there was no answer.

Later the property magnate told him he no longer lived there but had moved to a nearby address a year earlier.

“That is in clear breach of the licence because he had failed to notify his change of address. He said an employee lived there. He had also failed to sign the certificate. The officer ordered Wilson to surrender the licences pending the court case and then took away keys to the gun cabinet until the weapons and the 1,000 rounds of ammunition could be safely taken away. But when two police experts returned to the property – and despite the ammunition being under lock and key – there were 41 rounds missing, she said.

“Also in November 2014 he had been made subject to a year-long restraining order for making “distressing communications” to Eon Energy.”

The prosecution offered no evidence and Wilson was formerly acquitted of the charge but magistrates still imposed an order prohibiting him from harassing the company. Now Wilson – who represented himself at the appeal hearing – claimed he needed the rifle to kill foxes on his

land.

Picture: Paul Amos FM3137314

Estate agent Daniel Wells was attacked by Fergus Wilson, right