It has been reported that a gamekeeper is appearing in court tomorrow to face various charges of alleged wildlife crime on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s country estate.
There is no suggestion Andrew Lloyd Webber was involved.
Mark Stevens, 42, is accused of five alleged offences. Three relate to allegations that a tawny owl was caught in a spring trap set on a pole on the Sydmonton Court Estate, Hampshire in August 2013. Two relate to allegations that spring traps were not properly set on the Sydmonton Court Estate in September 2013.
Tomorrow’s hearing will be the first in this case.
Further updates later…
Raptor Persecution UK 
Probably thinks xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx .Like quite a few others
[Ed: Be careful!]
To put some context on this alleged barbaric act, it is still legal to snare an animal in this country and only remove the trappped animal after up to 24 hours, despite many of us feeling this is cruel it is still legal. pole traps were banned in the very early 1900,s because they were deemed cruel, a bird is left to die suspended by its broken legs, the broken bones grinding together each time it moves. This latest alleged incident is the third pole trap case in recent times, despite the claims that modern gamekeepers are supposed to be educated in the use of traps, oh for vicarious liability, no excuses in these cases, they should close the estates involved down an absolute disgrace
I always shake my head in utter despair upon reading this relentless persecution of our beautiful raptors. It never fails to sadden me that there are mindless idiots out there who are hell bent on mercilessly killing anything that poses a remote threat to a handful of tame pheasants, incidentally for ones own sheer greed and so called ‘sport’. One day, and I hope not in the distant future; penalties for this unforgivable massacre will be a stiff deterrent.
Until a landowner gets jailed for the one of his gamekeepers killing a Raptor this persecution will always happen. The law needs toughened up and this Government does not have a clue or is in league with the Landowners. Think I have killed more Pheasants when driving then all the Raptors in Scotland put together, maybe the Keepers will be after me.
Even if estate managers and owners are not jailed, fine them and STOP their EU subsidies and other tax breaks. That would make them think twice.
We need more vigilance from us the public, the police may do something if we offer evidence, photo’s, videos and more.
These estate numbskulls must be taught a lesson, that the laws of this country apply to them too.