Guest kevsterjw Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 taken from the daily telegraph online. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...5/nhunter05.xml A retired police officer has admitted twice flouting the new hunting law by allowing his terrier dog to chase and kill a mouse and a mole. George Morrison, 51, reported himself to former colleagues but he was not prosecuted over either incident. :11: In the first case, the dog, named Chip, flushed a mole from beneath a horse trailer before swiftly killing it in June last year. advertisement Two months later, Chip chased a mouse from behind the washing machine at the family home and went on to make another kill. Mr Morrison served with Northumbria Police for 30 years before retiring as a detective inspector three months after the Government's Hunting Act came into force in February last year. He turned himself in to the police on both occasions to demonstrate that the 2004 Hunting Act was a "ridiculous law". Under the legislation, moles and mice are classed as mammals that cannot be killed by dogs, although they can be shot by a competent huntsman. Mr Morrison said he was not taken seriously when he reported himself, but was eventually cautioned. He was later told no further action would be taken. When Chip repeated the offence, the matter was again brought to police attention and a sergeant and constable conducted a second interview. Again the Crown Prosecution Service did not bring proceedings. Mr Morrison, who lives with his wife Karen in the Tyne Valley, Northumberland, said: "I knew they wouldn't take me to court because there would have been a media frenzy. Putting myself in a police officer's role, this Act is a nightmare and something they didn't want to enforce." Since retiring from the police service, he has remained as secretary of the 137-year-old Border Hunt, which was set up to control foxes over a large area of Northumberland and Roxburghshire. He has gone public on the issue ahead of the second season of hunting since the ban came into effect to draw attention to the state of the law. Mr Morrison stressed that the hunt, which he will head out with next week, operated within the law. "This law was not about animal welfare, it was about trying to get so-called toffs and red jackets," he said. "But it is rural communities it is affecting." Chief Insp Simon Packham, of Northumbria Police, said: "We did refer two cases to the CPS regarding this individual, but no further action was taken." The only material available to police against Mr Morrison were his own admissions in his statements. A CPS spokesman said: "There was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of a conviction." Richard Dodd, the regional director of the Countryside Alliance, said: "George is helping to make the point that this law is not about foxes, but is about revenge from the Government about things such as the miners' strikes." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gin 503 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 If only there were more people like him. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FastDogz 155 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Good Man Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kay 3,709 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Scuse me for being ignorant, so if my dog killed a mouse on my property it would be breaking the law Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gin 503 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Scuse me for being ignorant, so if my dog killed a mouse on my property it would be breaking the law YES but not a rat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kay 3,709 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 will you do me a huge favour then & list do's & donts in simple terms for me, not into working dogs but i think its bloody stupid this law thing, if you dont mind Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest houndblair Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 :11: HOW F**KIN STUPID IS THIS UNWORKABLE ACT!!! ban what ban!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LDR 29 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 will you do me a huge favour then & list do's & donts in simple terms for me, not into working dogs but i think its bloody stupid this law thing, if you dont mind In real simple terms, you cant intentionally hunt anything with dogs legally, except rabbits and rats......... cos obviously rabbits and rats dont have any value of life........ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raspme 0 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 cant folt him just shows ya how the do gooders have thought about the laws of hunting ( shite) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 I was given to believe ye Dog can't kill a rat without the Land Owners Written Permission? Could somebody who knows 100% please verifie, with citation, please? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kay 3,709 Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 will you do me a huge favour then & list do's & donts in simple terms for me, not into working dogs but i think its bloody stupid this law thing, if you dont mind In real simple terms, you cant intentionally hunt anything with dogs legally, except rabbits and rats......... cos obviously rabbits and rats dont have any value of life........ so another silly question when i had a lurcher he would hunt my other dog and bring her to the ground , a smallish terrier so where would that stand in the law now, thats why i had to walk them seperatly in the end Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MOLLY Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 I was given to believe ye Dog can't kill a rat without the Land Owners Written Permission? Could somebody who knows 100% please verifie, with citation, please? Spot on...rats and rabbits need land owners permisssion. For future ref.. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/en2004/2004en37.htm MOLL. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kevsterjw Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 just read the link you posted molly and its is hilarious. I can't see how they can work it. "Section 7 authorises a constable to arrest without warrant a person who he reasonably suspects to be about to commit an offence of unlawful hunting" how can they proove this? read minds? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MOLLY Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 :secret: Shhhh dont tell them MOLL. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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