Further to last week’s news that Norfolk Police were appealing for information after a laser was shone directly into a peregrine’s nest box at Cromer disturbing the breeding female (here), the BBC News website is today reporting that a man has handed himself in.
According to the article, a man in his 40s from the Cromer area, who has not been identified by police, turned himself in at Cromer Police Station on Saturday. He apologised and said he’d made a genuine mistake.
A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said the incident was dealt with by way of a community resolution and it was agreed the laser would be destroyed.
The man also agreed to make a donation to the Cromer Peregrine Project and would engage in a formal discussion with a police officer about the safe use of lasers.
Full article here.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Made a mistake!…. Really??
I would love to know what his explanation was…..
I just can’t imagine how you could wiggle out of that one.
Once more FB is not placing this post on my public profile while i have no problem posting others. Is this just me or are others affected?
mistake?, how was that a mistake..
It was a deliberate act, and most likely with the sole intention of disturbing the birds, I can think of absolutely no reason anyone would be carrying a laser in public, unless it was attached to a gun, and searching for enemies, what on earth was his excuse for carrying a laser in public?
I have a laser, but I use it for work, and to enable a straight line to be projected onto a wall, for fixing a shelf, etc.
OK so it’s not illegal to carry a laser, or to use one, but surely common sense should be used. And at his age he should have some, even if its only a little sense, he should know that’s not a good thing to do, and it would disturb the birds, he should be charged with interfering with protected birds of prey, what if this bird abandons its eggs, or nest because of his actions, he should then be charged with killing birds of prey.
The only thing I would point at a bird of prey, or its nest, is my gaze, or a camera if I’m lucky enough to have one with me.
I suspect he will get a slap on the wrist, and told “don’t do it again naughty boy”., (you know, a suspended sentence).
Suspended sentences are just like being told “don’t do it again, naughty boy “, and have little or no effect on criminals, most criminals actually Bragg about having suspended sentences, they see it as a medal of honour.
We need more prisons, and a complex hake up of the law.
Murder should mean a life sentence, until death, not a poultry17years, and as for suspended sentences, they should be scrapped, and any crime should mean time in prison, the whole idea that criminals will learn from a suspended sentence is just laughable.
if the cps actually checked the previous history of most criminals they would most likely find they have had several suspended sentences.
“mistake?, how was that a mistake.”Maybe, that he could have been identified?
“I can think of absolutely no reason anyone would be carrying a laser in public”He may have been using it from home?
so if the person who has handed himself in does not have a gun then it won’t be him that had the lazer???
“so if the person who has handed himself in does not have a gun then it won’t be him that had the lazer???”
What weird turn of logic makes you think that?
Jb said “I can think of absolutely no reason anyone would be carrying a laser in public, unless it was attached to a gun”
if he had a lazer he must have had a gun???
It would not necessarily have to be associated with a gun. Lasers are marketed and used to deter pigeons from settling in industrial buildings and other locations where they are considered a nuisance. These come in both automatic and hand held versions (e.g. https://birdcontrolgroup.com/#:~:text=How%20does%20laser%20bird%20control,flight%20instinct%2C%20making%20them%20flee.). They are specifically designed to disturb birds and their use against a schedule 1 species on its nest would be a clear offence under the WCA. If it was something like this that was being used it would be interesting to know how he convinced the police that he’d made a genuine mistake.
Regarding your other comments, I believe that wildlife crimes do need to be dealt with seriously by the police and with appropriate severity but I don’t agree that in general we should be looking to increase the number of people in prison. You say that many offenders have previously had a suspended sentence which may be true but you will also find that a high proportion of people who have actually been incarcerated go on to re-offend.
“Lasers are marketed and used to deter pigeons from settling in industrial buildings and other locations where they are considered a nuisance”
Thanks for that. News to me. They come under the General Licensing scheme (GL40, GL41 and GL42) apparently.
See https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/968349/annex-2-non-lethal-alternatives-report.pdf
I use my laser pen to point out stars to my family (it’s one with a continuous beam so it can reach them) or one of my mother’s without a continuous beam to play with her cats, but clearly that isn’t what the culprit uses his for.
quite a few seem to think that lazer = gun, not so!
Yes, quite so. I understand your point, now.
“A green laser must mean it was attached to a gun” (paraphrased) was a hare set off in a previous thread… but we still have no idea whether it actually was or not.
You have all made valid points I hope he’s dealt with appropriately and the police take it seriously like they often don’t on a good not been to Bramham Yorkshire to watch show jumping skies full of beautiful Red Kites they were above the arena unbelievable and everywhere on the way home a joy to see .
Note