A coroner will write to the Government to raise concerns over crossbow laws following the unlawful killing of a man shot dead.
Professor Paul Marks will highlight issues around the regulation of the devices in what is known as a prevention of future deaths report.
His comments followed an inquest in Hull but will resonate on Merseyside following a number of serious incidents in the region.
Crossbows have regularly been seized by Merseyside Police over recent years and have also been linked to tragedy.
That includes the murder of dad-of-one Lee Atkins in Bootle in May 2019.
David Ball killed the "completely defenceless" 38-year-old in what prosecutors described as a "revenge attack" on Monfa Road.
Ball, 50, and of Brookhill Close, in Bootle, when he was jailed six months later claimed his crossbow "just went off" and said he apologised after the "accident".
But jurors convicted him of murder after hearing he fired a bolt that penetrated deep into the abdomen of Mr Atkins and caused extensive internal bleeding.
Ball, who was handed a life sentence, left Mr Atkins for dead.
During his trial, when asked "how did you show you were sorry?", Ball replied: "What do you want me to do? Buy him a box of Milk Tray to say I'm sorry?"
Just days before the murder of Mr Atkins the region saw an unconnected incident in which a two-year-old girl suffered a head injury after she was hit by an arrow fired from a crossbow in a home in Walton.
She was left in a serious condition while officers seized the crossbow and Detective Inspector Sabi Kaur said at the time: "This incident shows the obvious dangers posed by firearms stored in Merseyside.
“We will continue to listen to all of the information we receive to help us identify and remove these weapons from the streets."
Crossbows have formed parts of weapons hauls found during police investigations in Kirkby and St Helens while last July a man attempted to rob a jewellers in Walton Vale while armed with one.
Such incidents could become far less common following an intervention by Professor Marks at Hull Coroner's Court.
He signalled his intent to contact the Home Secretary after jurors ruled the killing of Shane Gilmer was unlawful following a five-day inquest.
They had heard Mr Gilmer, a housing officer for East Riding Council, had been shot with a crossbow by his neighbour in January 2018.
Speaking on Friday, Coroner Professor Paul Marks said: “It was my intention to issue a Regulation 28 report, known as a prevention of future deaths report.
"I am most concerned, and this has been confirmed by police witnesses, that crossbows of this nature and danger can be bought in an unregulated fashion by anyone over the age of 18 and aren’t controlled as shotguns are.
“It is my intention to issue a report to the Home Secretary to this end.
"This will be shared with the family and other interested persons and there is an obligation for a reply to be sent to me in 56 days, if this is not possible, an extension can be given."
