Report of shot Hen Harrier near Leadhills

According to the Carluke Gazette:

About 5.15pm on May 4, Police Scotland received a report regarding a male who shot and killed a Hen Harrier, near to the B7040 from Leadhills to Elvanfoot.

Inspector Martin Speirs is reported to have said: ‘A number of witnesses have come forward, and significant enquiry is underway.  I urge anyone who witnessed the incident, or saw a male near the area on a quad bike at the time to come forward. I also ask that anyone who has CCTV in the area review their cameras. Wanton killing of wildlife in these circumstances is unacceptable.

Photo: Gordon Yates

 

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14 Replies to “Report of shot Hen Harrier near Leadhills”

    1. It’s only unauthorised covert surveillance that’s not admissible so this is not a case of double standards. Standard stuff for the cops to check lawful CCTV in the event of a crime. Looks like there might be some real evidence in this case – first hand witnesses, including of a vehicle and possibly a body. And no meddling RSPB investigators to get in the way. Fingers crossed for a conviction this time.

      1. “And no meddling RSPB investigators to get in the way”.

        Is that slur really justified or necessary? The cases that failed on inadmissibility of the evidence would not have seen the light of day at all without the work of these investigators. Other cases involving similar evidence have not failed so it is grossly unjust to suggest that the failure of the cases was due to RSPB incompetence.

        Whether or not the RSPB as an overall organisation is doing enough to combat wildlife crime, I would suggest that the courage and tenacity of its investigations officers has been vitally important in the struggle to bring an end to this canker in the countryside and to bring it to public attention.

      2. What a dreadful attitude towards wildlife crime investigation …. You should be ashamed of yourself …..

  1. I must have missed it but when did the open season for Hen Harriers start?

      1. Correct. They are shot under the special ‘break the law with impunity’ licence available to the well-connected.

  2. I think they might actually be looking for dash cam footage . Maybe somebody may have caught the game keepers quad bike?

  3. For me, the most disheartening thing of all is that this article, reporting the shooting of a Hen Harrier (the first of the 2017 breeding season?) has attracted less attention (17 likes, 3 comments as I write) than the subsequent piece, an enjoyable but almost whimsical bit of near trivia (31 likes, 9 comments).
    Are we all just bored by the killing of raptors by the shooting industry? Have we all run out of new ways to express our outrage and disgust at the outrageous and disgusting things that shooters do?
    Or are we worn down, battered, defeated, by all that has happened (and not happened) over the last few months?

  4. I think, Alan, we are all just deeply depressed about the whole situation, including the absence of legal redress when culprits are caught and the prospect of continuing government indifference to raptor persecution.

    1. I think some form of legal (and safe), conspicuous form of protest when grouse shooting is taking place on estates with dodgy history will mean they can’t just sit back and chuckle after every rejected attempt at prosecution or killings we don’t know about, has to be next step, clearly public indignation and the law are being ignored even taunted. Would take the shine off a day’s shooting, love the idea of flying a hen harrier kite on a grouse moor, saw a father fly a beautiful ‘dragonfly’ with his son a few weeks ago, stunning.

      1. That’s why I had hoped that HH day 2017 could have been considered for Sunday August 13th Les and not the traditional Sunday before the grouse season starts ……

  5. Naive comment and apologies for, but if these estates are in receipt of landowners welfare supplement then surely there has to be demonstrable return by way of public benefit for public funds? What have they done to demonstrate public benefit? If there is none then the RPA should be encouraged / lobbied to review their ‘landowning benefit payments’? The RPA are quick enough to review organisations delivering public benefit if there’s so much as a hint of breach of cross compliance?

    We may be struggling with the legal compliance (no inferred criticism) but the hearts and minds through social media etc. is one which has the potential and it is not as easily managed as the mainstream media who are less than keen to see review and reform etc.?

  6. So, according to the usual suspects, this story has been fabricated. You couldn’t make it up – about it being made up!

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