Poaching gangs foiled
TEN poaching gangs have been stopped in their tracks after a three-day crackdown by police. Police used information provided by Poacherwatch to apprehend the gangs who prey on deer and other wildlife along the Gloucestershire borders.
Numerous interviews have taken place and an air weapon seized during the operation which ran between Wednesday, November 7, and Friday, November 9.
The operation came as two men from South Wales were sentenced after being found guilty of illegally shooting a deer, under the Deer Act 1991.
Brian Morgan, aged 41, and Justin Hopkins, aged 38, from Aberdare, were ordered to pay £2,400 in fines, costs and compensation.
Both men had their firearms certificates revoked and Hopkins was disqualified from driving for three months during sentencing at Hereford Magistrates’ Court.
The offence took place on private land in Herefordshire in February.
Poacherwatch is a group formed by local landowners, farmers, gamekeepers and stalkers who provide a co-ordinated response in Herefordshire, the Forest of Dean and Gwent.
A spokesman for Poacherwatch said: “This gives a clear message that poaching will no longer be tolerated in the area we cover.
“We are working with the police to continue to deter criminals and bring those that do commit crimes on rural land to justice through the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts.”
Members of Poacherwatch work in conjunction with West Mercia Police and Gwent Police forces to share information.
Officer Sarah Smith from West Mercia Police said: “We take poaching very seriously and are working closely with Poacherwatch to gather information for us to deal with not just poaching but other rural crime as well. I hope that the recent sentence given by the judge to the men that illegally shot a deer on private land shows that crimes such as this are taken very seriously and we will continue to work with Poacherwatch and the community to seek out intelligence and bring criminals to justice. We conduct proactive rural crime operations to enforce, prevent and encourage partner participation including cross border patrols.”
A Rural Crime Reporting line was launched in partnership with the NFU on 0800 783 0137.