Suffolk Police have arrested a man in connection with their ongoing investigation into the illegal shooting of five juvenile goshawks that were found dumped in a car park next to Kings Forest near Thetford in January.
The 70-year-old man from the Brandon area was arrested yesterday on suspicion of killing/taking a schedule 1 wild bird, possession of a schedule one wild bird and breach of firearms licence conditions.
He was taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning and subsequently released under investigation, pending further enquiries.
Let’s hope the police investigation leads to someone being charged and convicted. There’s currently a £16K+ reward available to anyone who provides information leading to a successful prosecution. The reward fund comprises £5K from the RSPB (here), £5K from Wild Justice (here), and £6K+ from a crowd funder set up by Rare Bird Alert (here).
Here’s a press statement from Suffolk Police, published yesterday afternoon:
Man released in connection with bird shooting – Wordwell
A man arrested in connection with the shooting of five birds in Wordwell near to Bury St Edmunds has been released under investigation.
The male in his 70s and from the Brandon area was arrested yesterday (Monday 27 March) on suspicion of killing/taking a schedule 1 wild bird, possession of a schedule one wild bird and breach of firearms licence conditions.
The five birds of prey were found on Monday 16 January, having been left in a parking area just off from the B1106 in Kings Forest, near Wordwell. X-rays were undertaken which showed all five birds had suffered injuries from multiple pieces of shot.
Officers from Suffolk’s Rural and Wildlife Policing Team were assisted by Norfolk police colleagues, as well as officers from the RSPB Investigations team and the National Wildlife Crime Unit.
The man was taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning and subsequently released under investigation, pending further enquiries.
All birds of prey are protected by law, and to kill or injure one could result in jail and/or an unlimited fine.
ENDS
UPDATE 7th June 2023: Man charged in relation to 5 shot goshawks found dumped in a forest carpark in January (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
Lets hope at long, long last a bird of prey killer is convicted and jailed and gets a lifetime firearms licence ban. It seems that Firearms licences are regulalry issued to criminals and unstable men
I really hope that the culprit is actually sentenced so they will never do it again, the gun licence system needs to be addressed.
There is no way that this person should xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx [Ed: important to remember that this person has not been charged with any offences!]
As far as killing birds of prey this is something which also needs to be addressed across the country, with as much as 70% of birds of prey have been killed on or near a shooting ground, or game shooting estate, these figures are disgusting.
For someone to kill the goshawks near Bury St Edmunds is a worrying event, and makes me wonder how many more have been killed?.
I don’t understand what makes a person shoot birds of prey, with birds of prey having been protected for many years now there is absolutely no excuse for it to still be happening.
The biggest problem I have seen over the last 5 years that I have been looking at this issue is down to one thing, the sentencing handed out for such incidents is far too lenient, and not a deterrent, I remember reading that an unlimited fine, and jail time was supposed to be the sentence guidelines.
However, I have not seen anyone convicted get a meaningful jail sentence, nor a fine that would deter anybody from repeating the crimes.
I would suggest a minimum 5 years, and at least £10000 fine, for killing one bird of prey, and there should be additional consequences for game killing grounds if the birds have been killed on their land, or by someone associated with the grounds they should have their licence withdrawn for the season for first offence, and permanently for any subsequent offences, this will give the shooting estates a reason to uphold the laws, and actively help to protect the birds of prey, instead of turning a blind eye to the indiscriminate killing of birds of prey.
Then my only other question is why do people need a gun licence if they do not own a farm, where it would be used for killing rats, or similar pests, if we are not careful this country could end up having issues like in the USA where gun owners go on a killing rampage, just like this person did with the goshawks, but could be people next time.
“The biggest problem I have seen over the last 5 years that I have been looking at this issue is down to one thing, the sentencing handed out for such incidents is far too lenient, and not a deterrent, I remember reading that an unlimited fine, and jail time was supposed to be the sentence guidelines”
In which case, you should be lobbying your MP for wildlife crime and animal abuse to be made subject to the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.
……sickening….just hope someone gets seriously punished for this absolutely abhorrent crime!
This is very good news but of course there is a long way to go yet, let us hope that Suffolk police have enough information to get a case into court and for it to be successfully prosecuted and a decent sentence given. However as I say there is a long way to go.
Congratulations to Suffolk police – lets just hope they are able to take the case through to conviction. It is going to be interesting to hear what connections the possible perpetrator has – and why he did it.
I could hazard a very good guess as to why. Perhaps his employment played a part
Agreed that Suffolk police seem to have done a good job so far. This seems like a particularly gross and provocative case so here’s hoping they and the courts really throw the book at him.
An arrest is unusual and a conviction even rarer. I wonder if the 16k reward has been instrumental in progress so far. Fingers crossed that a conviction is secured.
70 year old? Isn’t this the generation we are supposed to look up to? 🤦♂️
Best of luck to the police in this one. Really want to see a decent conviction and sentence on this case, whoever killed them. I
“70 year old? Isn’t this the generation we are supposed to look up to?”
Depends if you are over 80, I guess. Remind me, how old is our current Monarch?
I can’t see what age has got to do with it. Attitude is what matters, I am 83 and been anti shooting since I was 14 and I was brought up in the countryside.
If he is found to be guilty of this terrible crime xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
I note the Suffolk Police press release states the man arrested was “released under investigation”. This would suggest that there isn’t enough evidence at the moment to charge the individual.
One can only hope that further police enquiries provide sufficient evidence to proceed to charging whoever was responsible for this awful crime.
The current situation where raptors are unlawfully killed and no one is brought to justice is simply not acceptable, and we either need to see far more offenders successfully prosecuted and brought to justice, or an acceptance by parliament that the current legislation is in inadequate and there needs to be a change in the law, so that those responsible for wildlife crimes face the realistic prospect of punishment for their wrong doing.
There have been many cases taken to court, but unfortunately there are a lot of very wealthy estate owners, who are also m.p’s, I’m not saying this is the reason for the cases being dropped, or sentences being very lenient, but it’s too much of a coincidence.
There have been quite a few cases recently where the criminals should have been in jail for many years, but received suspended sentences, and fines that would have been pocket change, and as another coincidence the criminals work in the game shooting industry.
I think the law needs to change, individuals who work in the game industry , their crimes need to have an impact on the estates, like licenses being removed for a season , or permanently for repeat offenders, and suspended sentences should be scrapped, they do not work, they might as well slap them on the wrist and say “don’t do it again, naughty boy” it would have the same effect.
Perhaps a minimum sentence of 1 year for killing a bird of prey, and more for killing multiple, not to mention a ban from being involved in the game killing industry for life, and gun licence permanently revoked for a single offence, I don’t think I have heard of anyone having their gun licence revoked yet, that is just as much a worry as them getting off too lightly.
Positive news has to be welcomed but how many times have people been arrested, charged and subsequently let off by the courts. I’m pretty sure the reward for conviction will far outstrip any punishment. The smart thing to do would be to turn yourself in, collect the reward, pay your fine (because I’m damn sure this will be the worst that will happen) and then go on a massive jolly with what’s leftover. I’m trying not to be cynical but that’s the state of our justice system and why this country ranks 221st (last time I checked) out of 242 countries in biodiversity. Of course we could have slipped another place since I last checked. It’s not a very proud statistic is it.
For too long, crimes against raptors has gone on, with either no prosecutions or derisory sentences. Jail for minimum of twelve months, should be the norm.
Too many of these comments are repeating EXACTLY the same wording. It gives the opponents of gun law revision an excuse for saying that there is support for it from only a few people. Don’t give them any opportunity to counter our attempts to protect wildlife from persecution.
“Too many of these comments are repeating EXACTLY the same wording.”
Are they? Which wording, exactly?
“It gives the opponents of gun law revision an excuse for saying that there is support for it from only a few people”
How does that work?
Just goes to show how unbelievably ignorant the ” guardians of the countryside” are. Goshawks eat corvids and pigeons, which gamekeepers also kill in huge numbers.