Stanley Metcalf: Mother renews calls for law change as classmates hold tribute event

  • Video report by Jonathan Brown

Classmates of a boy who was shot dead by his great grandfather have held a memorial event on what would have been his "graduation" from primary school.

Stanley Metcalf was six when Albert Grannon shot him with an unlicensed air rifle at a family gathering in Sproatley, in East Yorkshire, in 2018.

Grannon was later jailed for manslaughter.

Six-year-old who died following ‘pellet gun injury’ named as Stanley Metcalf

Friends and family gathered at St Mary Queen of Martyrs VC Academy in Hull five years after Stanley's death to celebrate his life.

A special plaque was presented to his mother, Jenny Dee, by pupils at the school who also released balloons in memory of their friend.

Jenny was presented with a special plaque in tribute to Stanley

His twin sister Elsie and her classmates all wore bright colours and Hull City Shirts in tribute to Stanley, who was an avid fan.

Elsie said: "He was part of this school and I want everyone to know who he is because he was a really nice boy."

Another classmate said Stanley was "a really great friend to everyone" who "is always missed".

A memorial garden has been planted at Stanley's school

Jenny, who often visits a memorial peace garden built in Stanley's memory at the school, said: "It is lovely to walk in here and to see Stanley's face every morning.

"He would be sat there now on my shoulder saying 'mum I'm so proud of you'. He had everybody laughing. Whoever he met loved him, so that is a massive part that is missing in our life."

Stanley loved football and was an avid Hull FC fan

Jenny is continuing to campaign for it to be made an offence to own or use an air-powered weapon without a licence.

Mother of boy killed with air rifle campaigns for change in gun laws

She helped to secure a national consultation on firearm safety and some changes to regulation last year, but said more needs to be done.

"I would never want it to happen to any other family," she said. "To go through what we have had to go through has been absolutely horrendous. I will fight with that until my last day."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Home Office said: "Strong firearms controls are essential to keep the public safe and we keep our tough firearms legislation under constant review."

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