MSP hits out at ‘disappointing’ hen harrier shooting decision

Mairi Evans MSP is hoping a Scottish Government crackdown on wildlife crime will prevent a repeat of the controversial Cabrach Estate hen harrier shooting case.

Ms Evans, a species champion for the hen harrier, wrote to the Lord Advocate in the wake of the dropped case against a gamekeeper in Moray, after he was caught on camera by the RSPB allegedly shooting the protected bird of prey in 2013.

The long-running legal wrangle, which saw nine separate court hearings, was thrown out by the Crown Office as they dismissed the video evidence as inadmissible.

But the MSP for Angus North and Mearns has vowed to continue championing the cause of the hen harrier, as stricter protection controls to look after birds of prey – such as increased satellite tagging for golden eagle – are introduced by the Scottish Government.

Along with Moray MSP Richard Lochhead, Ms Evans recently met Roseanna Cunningham, cabinet secretary for environment, climate change and land reform, to express her concerns at the Crown Office decision to drop proceedings over the Cabrach Estate case.

She said: “The Lord Advocate has responded to reaffirm that the video evidence was ‘inadmissible’ – clearly, this is very disappointing.

“Legally, there is nothing I can do to overturn a decision made by the Crown Office and we have to respect our legal system.

“Morally, however, I feel we all have an obligation to respect our wildlife.

“We are fortunate to have a lot of birds of prey and they are a fantastic attraction for keen birdwatchers and tourists.”