Gamekeeper loses appeal

Judge commends work of RSPB

January 2012: A former Derbyshire gamekeeper has lost his appeal against his recent conviction for misuse of a cage trap.

Glenn Brown, who worked on an estate within the Peak District National Park, was originally convicted of seven offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Animal Welfare Act 2006 in June 2011 at Chesterfield Magistrates Court.

He was found guilty of using a trap baited with a live pigeon in order to take birds of prey, the intentional taking of a sparrowhawk and a number of other animal welfare offences and sentenced to 100 hours community service, as well as being ordered to pay £10,000 costs.

Claimed evidence had been planted
At a lengthy hearing at Derby Crown Court - which began on January 3 - Brown's defence brought a blistering attack against the integrity of the RSPB, claiming evidence had been planted to incriminate Brown. But Judge Watson has dismissed the appeal, commenting that all the RSPB staff were credible witnesses. Brown has been ordered to pay a further £7,000 costs.

RSPB conservation director Martin Harper said: ‘We are delighted, but not surprised that the integrity and honesty of our investigations officers has been found to be beyond reproach after coming under forensic examination in this case.'

Filmed using a cage trap
Brown was originally arrested by Derbyshire Police in May 2010, following a covert surveillance operation by an RSPB investigations team. RSPB officers filmed Brown using a cage trap baited with a live domestic pigeon. Although cage traps are legal when trying to trap some species, such as carrion crows, it is illegal both to use a pigeon as bait and to capture birds of prey.

Mark Thomas is an investigations officer with the RSPB. Commenting from Derby Crown Court, he said: ‘With so much evidence, convicting Brown during the first trial, we are stunned that his defence felt comfortable mounting an appeal suggesting the RSPB had framed him.

‘Bird of prey persecution remains a top wildlife crime priority in the UK , and it is one that we are determined to help the police reduce. The problem remains particularly severe in upland areas dominated by grouse shooting, where crimes have a direct impact on the conservation of some of our rarest birds of prey.'

Employers need to do more to stamp out these crimes
‘With his appeal failing, Brown will now have to face the consequences of his crimes. Since 1990 there have been more than 100 gamekeepers convicted of crimes relating to the despicable persecution of birds of prey.'

Martin Harper added: ‘Crimes such as these illustrate links between driven-grouse shooting and the illegal killing of birds of prey. This is why industry leaders and employers need to do more to stamp out these crimes. We believe that land managers and owners should be held legally accountable for any wildlife crimes that are committed by their staff, as is the case in Scotland.'

Concern is mounting about the poor breeding success of birds of prey in the dark peak region of the Peak District National Park. In 2006, the RSPB produced Peak Malpractice, a report that graphically outlined its concerns in relation to goshawks and peregrines on the north-east Peak moors. Since then, the breeding success of both species has collapsed in the adjacent Derwent Valley, prompting the undercover investigation leading to this court case.

GAMEKEEPER'S ROLL OF SHAME
The number of gamekeepers who go on to be prosecuted for poisoning offences is shocking. Here are just a few of the cases Wildlife Extra has covered in just the past few months... 

January 2012: Second Lanarkshire gamekeeper convicted of poisoning offences in a week 

January 2012: Former gamekeeper convicted of bird poisoning 

December 2011: Gamekeeper admits poisoning buzzards 

May 2011: Historic conviction of gamekeepr for possession of a dead red kite