Currently in the UK the maximum penalty available to the courts for offences against wildlife are £5000 or a six month jail term. As wildlife crime continues to threaten some of the UK's most spectacular wildlife it seems reasonable to ask for an increase in the penalties the courts can use for such offences. As part of the law commission consultation, among other things we are calling for the Penalties to be increased to a maximum £50,000 fine and/or up to 12 months in prison in the Magistrates’ Court, and unlimited fines and/or up to five years in prison in the Crown Court. Do you agree? Vote on the poll below.
If you are passionate about protecting our wildlife and want to make a difference, now is the time. The consultation closes on 30 November so please take a few minutes to write why we need to protect wildlife and why it is important to deter would be offenders by increasing the penalties for such crimes. You can send your response to wildlife@lawcommission.gsi.gov.uk
If you need a reminder about why we need to deter crimes against wildlife, please read the latest Birdcrime report.
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
I feel that a long jail sentence, with a large fine, then give them the bill for using our prison
that we as tax payers pay for. I am afraid these type of people will never learn until something very drastic is done to deter them.
Less we forget
It's pretty obvious that the penalties are not much of a deterrent, so increasing them is also an obvious thing to do.
If it were up to me then it would be a lot stiffer than the RSPB have proposed. A lot stiffer. Just my opinion.
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I agree with Skipper - billing people for the cost of our keeping them in prison is something that should be extended beyond wildlife crime! I'd also wipe out the time limit on how quickly you have to prosecute when it comes to egg collecting - apparently you get off scot free if you collected them more than two years ago! Disgraceful.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
I would agree with skipper, why should tax payers pay for their crimes, if it was me I would cut off their hands.
To each their own
Two people convicted today in Devon I believe,one of them it seems had a previous conviction in 1999 and was fined £3,000,that obviously had no effect so this time they fined him £1,000.The courts are ridiculous.
I see little point in increasing the maximum penalties when magistrates only give minimum sentences such as in this recent case.
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The verdict over that ex-policeman was utterly shocking. Retire all these hopeless people and get some in with their heads screwed on. If that's possible.
No matter what the penalty is the culprits have to be caught and proved guilty first.To me that is the stumbling block,there is not enough man power to catch culprits red handed. I know our local Wildlife Crime Officer tries his best it is only a part of his duties and compared to some crimes probably lower priority.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
I can appreciate that, Seaman, but it must be heartbreaking for any Wildlife Crime Officer when someone is actually caught only to get a slapped wrist.
You ought to hear some comments, off record , from the couple of bobbies I know,certainly for after the watershed !!