The RSPB has produced a podcast interview with Ian Thomson, Head of Investigations at RSPB Scotland.
Ian has worked in the Investigations team for 18 years and has played a crucial role in not just gathering the evidence of ongoing raptor persecution in Scotland, but perhaps more importantly, he has been highly influential in persuading the law makers that a change of policy was needed to tackle these crimes.
Needless to say, his effectiveness has resulted in him receiving years of defamatory and offensive abuse, on pretty much a weekly basis, from those in the game-shooting industry seeking to undermine his reputation and credibility. They’ve roundly failed – Ian’s opinion is held in high regard by conservationists, politicians, civil servants and journalists alike.
In this podcast Ian discusses the charity’s latest Birdcrime report and he also provides a good overview of the new legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament that is intended to deal with raptor persecution on grouse moors. He also talks about the importance of enforcing the new regulations for the legislation to be effective and for it to do what the Parliament intended when it passed the Bill last spring.
The podcast episode is here (23.09 mins).
Raptor Persecution UK 
As Ian said in the podcast the new legislation may work, but only if it is implemented as the RSPB hope. There are many people who will try to prevent this happening, including persons in the Crown Office, the Police and the Judiciary. It is unfortunate that Grouse Industry owners are not the only people in opposition. These people have not failed in their attempts to neutralise all Scottish legislation related to solving raptor persecution.
Good man.
Totally ignore, although I expect it’s difficult, those mindless raptor-murdering idiotic bozos in the game-shooting industry
Well done Ian & RSPB Investigations Scotland for getting the licencing bill through, and for all the daily battles that you/team are fighting both in politics and out in the hills & woods. Exciting & interesting times ahead to see what impact it has. I know you do not need me to state the obvious, but please be sure keep the pressure up 100% & do not give up an inch of ground until you are totally convinced that Licensing is working. It’s very likely that this train will still need to keep pushing along the track through other stations – and right to the precipice of / or actually to an outright ban on DGS.
many thanks 👍