Families of four Plymouth shooting victims taking legal action against police

• Watch ITV West Country's report on the families of those who died in the Keyham shooting

The families of four people who were killed by a gunman in Plymouth are taking legal action against the police for failing to protect their loved ones, ITV West Country understands.

Lee Martyn, his three-year-old daughter Sophie, Kate Shepherd and Stephen Washington lost their lives in Keyham in 2021, in one of the UK's worst mass shootings.

At an inquest last year, a jury found 'catastrophic failures' by the police in granting a shotgun licence to the attacker contributed to the deaths.

Now the families of Lee and Sophie, Kate and Stephen are understood to be involved in an ongoing legal claim against Devon and Cornwall Police, which is nearing a conclusion.

A police spokesman said "Devon and Cornwall Police acknowledged significant failings and learning following the inquest into the deaths of those people killed by Jake Davison in August 2021.

"Our thoughts have always been and will continue to remain with the victims, survivors and their loved ones.

"Since 2021 the Firearms and Explosive Licensing Unit has undergone significant change with a large amount of investment and we continue to work with the College of Policing in developing a product which will ensure the most stringent of checks are made on those holding firearms and shotgun licences.

“As regards any civil litigation, the force is unable to comment on those ongoing legal matters.”

Meanwhile, the Government has promised to look again at strengthening the law on gun ownership.

The previous Conservative government launched a consultation about who is allowed to own guns and what checks should be in place. But the results have not yet been analysed.

The Labour Government has said it will make this a top priority.In a letter to Plymouth MP Luke Pollard, the Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: "It is my intention that the Government will publish a formal response to that consultation as soon as we are able to. I am looking at the details of this right now.

"I do intend that the Government response will contain information about both the responses to each of the consultation questions and also the Government’s view on all of the issues covered, informed by the consultation responses."

Mr Pollard told ITV West Country: "For some people the tragedy feels like a million years ago, for others it's still fresh, it's still a daily torment.

"That's why it's so important that we do make progress on gun law reform and to make the system actually work as it should do.

"There's a lot of work still to do."