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Giles Wates, of Blandford, faced Bournemouth Crown Court to appeal the revocation of his firearms license after the dishonesty came to light. The court heard how Mr Wates’ wife rang the police when she received strange text messages in December 2021, which prompted her husband to reveal he had been paying a woman money for 15 years. Tom Hoarder, representing Dorset Police, said Mr Wates was a stud manager on his family estate and had held a firearms license since 1989.
However, during an investigation into the blackmail, Mr Wates confessed to police he had been taking medication to ‘calm him down’ and had been seeing a counsellor. He also revealed that in 1997 the sale of a £500,000 racehorse fell through making him feel suicidal and holding a shotgun under his chin. Mr Wates voluntarily surrendered his firearms and in September 2023 Dorset Police decided to revoke his license.
Mr Hoarder said a case review raised “serious concerns” with who Mr Wates was associated with, his mental health and his honesty. It was said that during his five-yearly reviews between 2005 and 2020, Mr Wates stated he had never been treated for depression. However, medical records showed stress related reports since 2005 and the prescription of anti-depressants in 2018.
His GP also referred him to an alcohol treatment service in 2021 and in 2023 he confessed to drinking a whole bottle of wine most nights. Mr Hoarder said the woman Mr Wates had been seeing and providing money for, was a well-know heroin user in Blandford, but the appellant denied knowing this. The court heard how Mr Wates’ son was previously convicted of dangerous driving but was also known to police for possible involvement in county lines drug running.
Due to his son living in a nearby annexe, the appellant’s dishonesty and mental health, Mr Hoarder said police no longer deemed it safe for Mr Wates to hold a license. “The licensing regime depends on honesty and integrity of license holders,” said Mr Hoarder. “Mr Wates failed to do that and it was not a one-off mistake it was a repeated failure which painted a false picture of his circumstances.
” Judge Robert Pawson denied Mr Wates’ appeal and said: “We are satisfied that he cannot be permitted to possess a firearm certificate without danger to public safety.” Judge Pawson added how he believes Mr Wates is a ‘hard-working and skilled’ man who cares deeply for his animals and is affected mentally when a deal does not go through or he loses a mare or foul. “I believe he is an extremely kind and generally law-abiding man,” said Judge Pawson.
Mr Wates was also ordered to pay £4437.50 in court costs..
