William MacKenzie, a 68-year old pensioner who claimed to be running an animal rescue centre from his home in Shrewsbury, has been given a lifetime ban from keeping all animals after he was convicted of nine animal welfare offences, including punching and kicking birds of prey. He was convicted after the court saw video footage of his activities that had been filmed by his neighbours.
Interesting that this video footage was considered to be acceptable evidence, whereas video footage of a Scottish gamekeeper beating trapped birds to death with a stick inside a crow cage trap was deemed inadmissable (see here).
Well done to the neighbours who took action, to West Mercia Police, the RSPCA and the Crown Prosecution Service for the successful prosecution, and to the magistrates for handing out a suitable sentence.
Article in the Shrewsbury Chronicle here and Daily Mail here
Raptor Persecution UK 
Maybe the courts acceptance as evidence of the video footage will set a precedent that can be used in future trials for animal cruelty and persecution, at least this prosecution was acceptable! But, and there’s always a but, this wasn’t a crime where the status quo of the establishment was in question.
A great and just result. The decision regarding the ‘One Kind’ video evidence of the Scottish gamekeeper stunk big time!
The evidence was accepted in Englandshire where we ain’t. Whether this has any bearing on the matter and also as to whether his neighbours were on their own property whilst filming – a thing which seemed to be an issue in the Scottish case. Of course this is all precisely the kind of legal obfusticalion and nit-picking that the carrion crows of the legal profession thrive on – flapping and squawking over the carcass of elementary natural justice.
Perhaps the idea was that a “gamekeeper” would be expected to act in this manner whilst an “animal rescuer” wouldn’t!
Pip
Two separate legal systems, with 2 different standards of evidence, so I wouldn’t hold my breath on a Scottish court suddenly viewing this case and seeing the error of their ways. But, its a victory in itself to see this git prosecuted. Obviously, he didn’t have any rich pals to fund his legal expenses.