Resident attacking birds and habitat - advice needed

Location: St Pauls Park Bristol BS29JR, the Places For People (Housing Association) properties adjacent. There is a thriving bird community in the park and the gardens of the properties. One neighbour has been feeding the birds for years, I have been feeding them for less than a year. There are over 15 species that use our garden. Since before I arrived there have been ongoing problems between "Richard" and other neighbours. The incidents can be serious, involving projectiles and makeshift weapons, he's thrown people's wheelchairs out of the building and he's attacked a dog with a large stick, he intimidates or is violent to visitors. The police have for some reason allowed these incidents with multiple witnesses to pass, going as far as arresting one of his victims. He systematically abuses around 5 other neighbours and then reports them to the police. He also fakes or creates issues to provoke neighbours, then calls the police on them. He's made a complaint about one officer to the IPCC, but several neighbours are asking how this man has not yet been arrested, or why the police attend even when he calls, he's a prolific troll and racist against white, Asian and British-born black people. He's been blocking mobility scooter access as well for a second disabled person. He is disabled himself with a limp, but seems to enjoy torturing disabled and vulnerable and then calling the police on them. It is not clear whether neighbours need to go to higher authorities and ask why police are turning on his victims these days or not, but as of now he is out of control, intimidating and threatening several people. He feeds the birds roast dinners, thrown from his window, but since the anti-social officer from the Housing Association has left, "Richard" has started confronting the bird lovers, intimidating them, shouting at them, raising makeshift weapons at one of them and at the birds, stopping when cameras were produced. He throws litter where they feed. He's driven his car over the bush used by the tits. 2 weeks later he was asking workmen to cut down other bushes. He's also involved a woman living in another block, she is now also parking her car to block mobility access for a bird lover, complaining about "bird "s***" and she's shouting in front of police officers that we can't feed seed or fatballs. There's evidence he may have smashed glass near the tyres of another bird lover. There is forensic evidence, but none of the photography or filming shows him directly assaulting birds, however there will be multiple witnesses that he is shouting at white people who feed birds, forbidding us to feed them, yet he or she throws roast dinners from his windows. Species involved mainly would be blue tits, green? finches, chaffinches, magpies, robins, sparrows, blackbirds, woodpigeons, collared doves, rock doves and feral pigeons. Seagulls come to the park but not the garden. There are old trees in the garden, the fact we feed birds, wouldn't stop birds being there. This man I am sure can not tell the feral pigeon from the others. His dishonesty to police, the police constantly ignoring our evidence and when there are multiple witnesses, his abuse of disabled people and his racism and abuse of innocent neighbours has motivated me to do whatever I can legally to destroy the prison that he thinks he's running with the help of the police. What can I do to prosecute him, or have him prosecuted for attacking birds and their habitat?
  • Rollo some of what you describe could be illegal (eg driving his car over the bush used by the tits, if that took place in the nesting season). What I would do is call the RSPB and discuss the concerns with them. They have a smashing team and they do take action when appropriate. They maybe willing to come out and have a friendly chat with 'Richard' - or they may explain how you can collect evidence to prosecute. Have you and the other neighbours explained your concerns about 'Richard' to the police (I mean independently, not in a confrontation situation)?

  • Hi Rollo, sorry about the horrible time you are having. Here's what I would recommend.

    1. If you are not already doing so, keep a diary of incidents. This isn't going to get cured overnight and a diary of what has been going on is strong evidence. Get others to do the same. Records, dates, times, what happened and police reference numbers.

    2. Ask to meet with the police and see if they will issue and anti-social behaviour order on him. Also show concern for the individual and ask if they can refer him to another agency to get help. His behaviour suggests that he needs support. Take along the evidence, including crime report numbers. It is possible that the police do not know that this person is causing so many problems for the community. Police turning up at a crime scene may not have the time or the resources to deal with the long-term issue and there may not be continuity between officers dealing with the incidents.

    3. If he has destroyed nests, do speak to the RSPB as suggested.

    4. If he is a council tenant or in rented accommodation, speak to the landlord.

    5. If he is being abusive to you and your neighbours, get together and ask a solicitor to get a restraining order put on him. A local solicitor will be best and the shared cost between several of you will mean you don't all have to carry the burden. If one of you is in a Union it is possible that they may have legal support. (Other organisations offer this too.)

    6. Write to your MP or speak to them at a community surgery. They can help to put pressure on public bodies to act.

    7. Don't do all this on your own. Organise it and get together with the others who are suffering.

    Ideally, there should be some sort of mediation and help for the perpetrator so they change their behaviour. The person doing this probably needs kindness and care but our system isn't set up to help people, just to further marginalise them.