Father of 'incel' gunman tried to stop killer from owning a shotgun

Father of ‘incel’ gunman Jake Davison who murdered FIVE in Plymouth rampage before killing himself tried to stop killer from owning a shotgun because of fears about his mental health, coroner is told

• Mark Davison told coroner he had contacted police with concerns about his son
• He said he tried to stop return of shotgun to son by telling them he was unstable
• Previous hearing heard mother had reported him to counter-terrorism Prevent

The father of spree killer Jake Davison tried to stop him owning a shotgun and firearms licence because of fears about his mental health, a pre-inquest review heard.

Mark Davison told senior Plymouth coroner Ian Arrow he had contacted Devon and Cornwall Police with concerns about his son and his unstable home life.

Davison, 22, killed his mother Maxine, 51, after a row and then shot dead four others in a 12-minute attack in Plymouth.

Three-year-old Sophie Martyn; her father, Lee, 43; Stephen Washington, 59; and Kate Shepherd, 66, all died on the evening of August 12 last year in the Keyham area of the city.

Mark Davison, father of killer Jake Davison (pictured), told senior Plymouth coroner Ian Arrow he had contacted Devon and Cornwall Police with concerns about his son and his unstable home life

The apprentice crane operator then turned the pump-action shotgun on himself before armed officers reached him.

The killings happened just weeks after the shotgun and licence had been returned to him by Devon and Cornwall Police. 

They had been seized in 2020 after Davison assaulted two teenagers in a park.

He had applied for a shotgun certificate in July 2017 and after the application was processed a certificate was issued to him in January 2018 that was valid for five years.

A pre-inquest hearing at Plymouth Coroner’s Court heard arrangements are being made for the inquest to resume on January 17 next year at Exeter racecourse.

Bridget Dolan KC, counsel to the inquest, told the hearing Mr Davison has a friend who was present when he phoned Devon and Cornwall Police with his concerns about his son.

Davison, 22, killed his mother Maxine, 51, after a row and then shot dead four others in a 12-minute attack in Plymouth

The apprentice crane operator then turned the pump-action shotgun on himself before armed officers reached him (pictured: CCTV showing Jake Davison in the middle of his killing spree)

Jake Davison’s mother Maxine  was the first to be killed. She and other relatives are claimed to have begged the police and NHS to help him with mental health problems

Adopted Sophie Martyn, 3, and her father Lee, 43, (pictured left) were shot by Jake Davison at random. Lee’s wife Becky is pictured right. Witnesses have told how Lee died while trying to shield his daughter from the gunman 

Jake Davison then moved on towards a nearby wooded area where he shot and murdered dog walker Stephen Washington, 59, (above)

66-year-old Kate Shepherd was Davison’s final victim, and was gunned down by Blush hair salon in Plymouth

The court heard an investigator from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is planning on obtaining a statement from Mr Davison’s friend.

Mr Davison told the hearing: ‘I would like to say that when I initially phoned the Devon and Cornwall Police and tried to stop the shotgun licence by telling them that I didn’t think Jake was stable or living in a stable home etc etc, like I have already said before.

‘My friend was there, and he is the one who is willing to say that he witnessed me saying such things as well being logged with the Devon and Cornwall Police as well, to confirm what I am saying.’

The IOPC has previously launched a criminal investigation into Devon and Cornwall Police’s firearms licensing unit.

As part of the investigation, two members of staff have been served with gross misconduct notices, while an officer has been served with a misconduct notice.

Social media usage by Davison suggested an obsession with ‘incel’ culture, meaning ‘involuntary celibate’, as well as an interest in guns and the US.

Reports have suggested Davison’s mother had been struggling to get help for her son, having become concerned about his mental health. 

A previous hearing has heard she had reported him to the counter-terrorism Prevent programme.

Davison first murdered his own mother, Maxine, at her home nearby, before going outside and randomly killing schoolgirl Sophie Martyn, her father Lee, 43, and dog walker Stephen Washington. He then crossed a road to a hair salon where he shot and fatally injured Kate Shepherd, 66

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