When evidence of illegal hunting is presented to the police they should not seek to ignore it but take action. goo.gl/ecKGf1 Six members of Lamerton Hunt have been charged with illegal hunting following a private prosecution brought by the League Against Cruel Sports. This follows an incident that took place on March 26th this year. LACS felt they had not option to take out the action due to the total delay and what must appear as disinterest by Devon and Cornwall Police to respond to the evidence they presented to them. An independent legal adviser confirmed to them that there a realistic prospect of conviction and would meet the public interest test. This is the guide the CPS sets so it leaves it open to the police as to why they have failed to take action. We have long argued that while we respect the difficulty the police have with the demands placed on them for policing they have created this problem. By that we mean where some hunts think and believe they can do as the like and are above the law. Such attitudes stems from the very weak response the police generally show towards the crime and it makes a mockery of law. It should not have to be the case that when illegal hunting has clear evidence that it is left to animal charitys to bring the prosecution. The police are letting society down in doing so and not respecting the letter of the law. If cannot be the case that the police can pick and chose which law it prosecutes. Illegal hunting would soon end if the police got tough and carried out a few high profile prosecutions. Thus saving many resources and money for the long term. Yet resources alone cannot be used as an excuse for not taking action. Many of these hunts do have police presence and often in large numbers yet the focus is less on stopping the hunting set from illegal activity and more on following the hunt monitors. Such is the extent of police inaction in some forces trust between the public and them has been eroded and damage. Allegations against the police of being biased towards hunts is rife. To add to this when attacks against hunt monitors by hunt members and those associated take place there seems a lack of concern and little show that justice will be sought. Nobody expects miracles as any case can be hard to prove but when there are witnesses, video evidence and signs of assault on the person then clearly an investigation is warranted. There is no such thing as accidental hunting and that is just an excuse hunters use to hide their activity. Only it is quite obvious. A hunt will chase for miles after a fox. If they had stumbled on to a fox and hounds give chase it is beholden on them to seek to call their hounds back. How many hunts have ever tried? The act of the chase is illegal and the police must stop accepting the words of hunters and look at the words of the law for guidance. We support a two year minimum prison term for those convicted of illegal hunting. We see this as sensible and a way to stop the hunts ignoring the law. Yet we also support it because a custodial sentence on this level would have to be properly enforced by the police. Now realistically we doubt such a sentence would ever be used as the threat alone of stigma and a prison term should deter most hunters. It is however needed so that the focus shifts to the criminality of some hunters. It should not need stating that hunters are not freedom fighters, they are not a persecuted minority and their rights have not been eroded. They are however a small section of society who some feel are too important to follow societys law. Such a view has no justification and greater punishment is needed to deter such attitudes. It cannot be right that anyone has a right to act in a way that causes extreme suffering, pain and death to an animal all because a tiny number enjoy it. The law is more than cleat that is illegal. It is time therefore the police respected the law and took action to curb its abuse. We thank Labour MP Chris Williamson for making awareness of this court case and the reasons for it.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 08:29:39 +0000
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