Hells Angel wins court challenge over gun licence renewal

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Francesca Marzari said the provincial court should have taken an independent look at all the evidence in the case instead of determining whether the firearms officer’s decision was “reasonable.”Author of the article:  2 minute read.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Francesca Marzari has ruled that Gaston Methot should get a second hearing in provincial court to make his case about why he deserves to have his licence renewed. PHOTO BY RICHARD LAM /PNG

A full-patch member of the Hells Angels will get another shot at renewing his firearms licence.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Francesca Marzari has ruled that Gaston Methot should get a second hearing in provincial court to make his case about why he deserves to have his licence renewed.

Earlier, a provincial court judge upheld a decision made by the province’s chief firearms officer to deny the renewal based on Methot’s membership in the West Point Chapter of the Hells Angels.

But Marzari said the original judge did not apply the right standard in reviewing that decision. She said the provincial court should have taken an independent look at all the evidence in the case instead of determining whether the firearms officer’s decision was “reasonable.”

“The reference judge’s reliance on the reasonableness standard permeates the decision to uphold the firearms officer’s decision, both with respect to the factual matrix and the evidence found to be relevant, and with respect to the result. The decision must therefore be set aside,” she said in written reasons released Monday.

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