Criminal proceedings continued yesterday with hearing #11 in the case against Scottish gamekeeper George Mutch of Kildrummy Estate, Aberdeenshire.
Mutch is pleading not guilty to a suite of charges relating to offences that are alleged to have taken place more than two years ago in August 2012. We believe these relate to the illegal use of a trap for the purpose of taking or killing wild birds (goshawk and buzzard) and to the killing, injuring or taking of wild birds (goshawk and buzzard).
Yesterday’s hearing was another intermediate diet and guess what? Yet another intermediate diet has been set for 21st October 2014.
Here’s the chronology of events so far:
August 2012: alleged offences took place
11th September 2013: case opened
2nd October 2013: hearing #2
30th October 2013: hearing #3
27th November 2013: hearing #4
17th December 2013: hearing #5
17th March 2014: hearing #6
2nd April 2014: hearing #7
16th April 2014: hearing #8
13th May 2014: hearing #9
24th September 2014: hearing #10
15th October 2014: hearing #11
21st October 2014: hearing #12 due
Raptor Persecution UK 
are they trying to avoid a conviction because everyone had died of old age before the trial was completed?
And yet again these postponements see the clock ticking towards the time when the case has to be dropped. Such blatantly open hypocrisy is mind blowing, yet it continues to occur without comment from the judiciary, police – or dare I say it – the big bird conservation bodies and the so-called/self-styled ‘Greenest Government Ever’. Roll on May 2015 so we can kick ’em out.
We’re not lawyers but our understanding is that a case only becomes ‘time barred’ if the Fiscal fails to initiate proceedings any later than six months from the date he/she receives sufficient evidence to continue (with a prosecution), or, if the proceedings begin more than three years after the alleged offence took place (it’s only two years in England).
So in this case, proceedings can’t be stopped because the case ‘ran out of time’ – although of course the case may be dropped for other reasons, such as inadmissibility of evidence or other legal causes.
It’s not uncommon to see these wildlife crime cases dragged out – remember the Glen Orchy poisoning case a few years ago? That involved something like 18 separate court hearings!
Things will not be any different with a different government, just a load more debt and higher interest and inflation, and more taxes, .
The case will eventually be fully concluded, it cant not, the defendant has this hanging over him, which is a form of punishment, causing more stress and worry, it will put years on him. [Ed: last sentence removed. The offences are only alleged at this stage and the defendant has pleaded not guilty].
This is getting ridiculous, whoever’s responsible for this fiasco case should be relegated to a minor clerks job or sacked. They spend public money like it’s their own everlasting fund for their own private use to be used as they think fit !!!
Tony, although I don’t have any faith in the hypocritical “Greenest Government Ever”, in Scottish issues I believe it is mainly to do with the Scottish Government which has promised so much & delivered so little in these matters.
RPS – I’ll keep watching with interest, but keep up the good work. You are inspirational.
Pheasant beater, I take your point, but this problem is universal throughout Britain and your correct comment applies to all of the people and bodies which are supposed to uphold the Law.
Quite right Tony, but the buck stops with the government.