Clay pigeon shooter duped into selling murder weapon

David Billingsby, a 79-year-old record holder in clay pigeon shooting, sold a shotgun to 19-year-old Nicholas Prosper, who later used it to kill his mother, brother, and sister. Prosper, who had forged documents, planned to carry out a mass shooting at his former primary school. The meeting took place in Luton in September 2024 and lasted about eight minutes. Mr. Billingsby was unaware that Prosper intended to commit murder. Had the sale not gone ahead, Prosper planned to stab him instead. Billingsby was a respected figure in his community, and police stated he did not commit any offense by selling the gun. Prosper had been researching mass killings since late 2023 and began searching for a gun in April 2024. He crafted a fake shotgun certificate, even forging a police sergeant's signature. After being suspected in a previous buying attempt, he successfully purchased a shotgun from Mr. Billingsby by using a convincing story and offering extra money. After the sale, Prosper hid the gun at home and planned to attack his family while they slept. However, when he tried, his mother woke up, leading to a violent confrontation. Tragically, all three family members suffered fatal injuries. Afterward, Prosper attempted to carry out his school shooting plan but was interrupted by police responding to a neighbor’s report of the noise. Nicholas Prosper was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes. The incident has raised concerns about how easily he obtained the weapon, prompting calls for stricter checks on firearms sales and better regulation of gun ownership in the UK. Advocates are urging a complete review of gun laws to prevent future tragedies.