Man charged in connection to dumped hares & raptors outside community shop in Hampshire

Press release from Hampshire Constabulary (13 August 2024):

MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH BROUGHTON WILDLIFE CRIME INVESTIGATION

A man has been charged in connection with an incident in which dead animals were left outside a shop in Broughton.

James Kempster, 37, of Marchwood Road in Totton, has been charged with possessing live/dead Schedule 1 wild bird or its parts, possessing live/dead non-Schedule 1 wild bird or parts, and criminal damage.

On the morning of March 15 this year, police received reports that around 50 dead hares, a kestrel and a barn owl were found outside Broughton Community Shop in High Street.

Officers from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Country Watch Team have been investigating the incident alongside the Criminal Investigation Department, which has now resulted in these charges.

Kempster is due to appear at Southampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday 10 September.

ENDS

For previous blogs on this case see here, here and here.

As this case is now live, comments are turned off until criminal proceedings have concluded so as not to jeopardise the case.