The Hunting Act

[Guest Leveller]

Statistics relating to Hunting Act convictions in 2010 show that the Act is “now about poaching, not about hunting†say Countryside Alliance. The statistics show 36 convictions under the Act in 2010, but only one involving a hunt registered with the Council of Hunting Associations*. The rest were for offences, primarily poaching, that are not connected to organised hunting. Poaching has been an offence for many hundreds of years and existing legislation enables the Police to secure convictions for the offence outwith the Hunting Act.

 

The new Ministry of Justice figures take the number of people convicted between the Hunting Act coming into force in 2005 to the end of 2010 to 181, but only six of those relate to registered hunts. 97% of convictions relate to poaching or other casual hunting activities, including at least seven people who have been convicted of hunting rats.

 

Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Alice Barnard commented: “The Hunting Act is being used almost exclusively by the Police to tackle poaching, lending a veneer of success-through-numbers to an Act that is now almost unanimously regarded as a dismal failure. Poaching was illegal before the Act and would continue to be illegal without it.“

 

The MPs who railroaded the Hunting Act through in late 2004 acted out of spite and without any recourse to evidence or to the practicalities of what they were doing. The result is a piece of legislation that has comprehensively failed and these statistics hold a mirror up to that fact.

 

"The Act, however, does continue to be a way for animal rights vigilantes to make allegations against hunts and waste Police, CPS and Court time, often at huge cost to taxpayers. No one takes any pleasure in the current situation. It is farcical and there is no case to be made that the Act is effective in any way.â€

["Earth!" 503]

Think im going to stop reading all this bloody stuff relating to any hunting acts etc then if im doing wrong i can claim ignorance

[WILF 51,233]

Your like Rumpole of the bailey!! lol

[Moll. 1,793]

 

"The Act, however, does continue to be a way for animal rights vigilantes to make allegations against hunts and waste Police, CPS and Court time, often at huge cost to taxpayers. No one takes any pleasure in the current situation. It is farcical and there is no case to be made that the Act is effective in any way.â€

 

[rob190364 2,594]

I'm just shocked that 7 people have been done for hunting rats, it's quite unbelievable when you think about it. Other countries must be pissing themselves at us!

[Ideation 8,217]

Animal rights? KIlling dogs that have killed a fox. Fecking logical animal rights that.

[PeakOil 352]

Hunting rats? I assume those 'cases' involve trespassing / no permission? That can be adequately dealt with under existing laws and not The Cunting Act, or has this fooken island finally gone doo f*****g lally?

[Simoman 110]

World gone mad......

[fieldsportsman 107]

World gone mad......

no mate, f*ckin britain gone mad, led by donkeys

[pmatty77 26]

Trespassing i believe is not a criminal offence but i think that trespassing in pursuit of game ie rabbits is..in other words you cant get arrested for going on the land ..only if you are poaching...but am sre somebody knows the details...

[Little fish 3]

Hunting rats? I assume those 'cases' involve trespassing / no permission? That can be adequately dealt with under existing laws and not The Cunting Act, or has this fooken island finally gone doo f*****g lally?

[/quo this is it ! Persecuted we are ?

[boyo 1,398]

the hunting act is a complete joke it didnt doesnt please anyone and even blair in his autobiography said it was one of his biggest regrets pushing it through .for christs sake how can it be cruel to chase a fox or hare but not a rabbit or rat complete and utter nonsense the only saving grace is the loopholes that were left in the hunting act .