Category: News

More false claims from the Moorland Association about hen harrier brood meddling

It’ll probably come as no surprise whatsoever to regular readers of this blog to learn that the Moorland Association (grouse moor owners’ lobby group in England) has, in an article published by the Shooting Times this morning, made more false claims about the hen harrier brood meddling trial, this time relating to the findings of the BTO’s recent scientific study on hen harrier population trends.

For new blog readers, the hen harrier brood meddling trial was a conservation sham sanctioned by DEFRA as part of its ludicrous ‘Hen Harrier Action Plan‘ and carried out by Natural England between 2018 – 2024, in cahoots with the very industry responsible for the species’ catastrophic decline in England. In general terms, the plan involved the removal of hen harrier chicks from grouse moors, they were reared in captivity, then released back into the uplands just in time for the start of the grouse-shooting season where many were illegally killed. It was plainly bonkers. For more background see here and here.

Hen harrier photo by Pete Walkden

You may remember last October the Moorland Association prematurely declared the brood meddling trial “a remarkable success story” and said it had decided to apply to Natural England for a licence to permit the continuation of brood meddling (see here). This happened before Natural England had undertaken a formal scientific review of the trial, which it said would take place by the end of 2024.

In March 2025, Natural England announced the closure of the hen harrier brood meddling trial and published the first of four scientific reports it had commissioned to evaluate the trial. Natural England stated that any decision on the future of brood meddling (e.g. issuing licences for brood meddling to continue) will be based on the findings of those reports. Natural England has not yet published the other three commissioned reports.

The first report it published last month was authored by scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and focused on recent hen harrier population trends. The study used a population modelling approach to try to determine the mechanism behind the sudden increase in the hen harrier population between 2018-2023 and whether that was attributable to the brood meddling trial or to other factors.

The authors used modelling techniques to look at changes in the rates of hen harrier productivity, survival and settlement but there were obvious constraints in the limited data available. They concluded that it was not possible to determine definitively whether the population increase was solely related to brood meddling or whether it was a response to wider environmental drivers (e.g. high prey availability).

As Mark Avery wrote in a recent blog about this study, “Brood meddling of Hen Harrier nests made little or no contribution to the recent rise and fall of the Hen Harrier breeding population. As was predicted in advance, brood meddling is a distraction and an irrelevance“.

The Moorland Association responded to the BTO’s study with a blog posted a few days after the report’s publication (here). It looks to me like an AI-generated appraisal of the study but nevertheless it demonstrates that the Moorland Association was at least aware of the report’s findings.

How on earth then, does the Moorland Association go from that to this, published in the Shooting Times this morning:

In this outrageous article, which is poor even by the Shooting Times‘ low standards, The Moorland Association’s CEO, Andrew Gilruth, claims:

“The seven-year [brood meddling] trial led to the English hen harrier population hitting a 200-year high. The British Trust for Ornithology has concluded that this could only have been achieved through the brood management scheme changing attitudes – a brilliant example of wildlife conflict resolution and co-existence“.

Er, the BTO’s study did not evaluate ‘changing attitudes’ [of grouse moor owners]; it used population modelling to assess hen harrier productivity, survival and settlement, none of which were conclusive to explain the changes in hen harrier population trends!

This looks to me like yet another example of Andrew Gilruth grossly misrepresenting scientific opinion on grouse moor management, for which he has a long-standing reputation (see here). Whether he does this deliberately or whether he’s just incapable of interpretating scientific output is open to question.

The article goes on to suggest that if Natural England doesn’t issue the Moorland Association with a brood meddling licence,

“I fear it will be down to the Moorland Association to ask a judge to decide if Defra’s plan to recover the hen harrier population in England should remain on track“.

If it does end up in a judicial review, which is what Gilruth appears to be threatening, I can think of at least one conservation organisation that would relish the opportunity to intervene in the case.

The IUCN guidelines on species’ translocations are quite clear that one of the fundamental principles in deciding when a translocation/reintroduction is an acceptable option is this:

‘There should generally be strong evidence that the threat(s) that caused any previous extinction have been correctly identified and removed or sufficiently reduced‘.

Given the scandalous continuation of illegal hen harrier persecution on driven grouse moors in the UK (at least 134 hen harriers killed or ‘missing’ in suspicious circumstances since the brood meddling trial began), and that it is widely accepted that illegal persecution continues to be the main threat to hen harrier survival, limiting the species’ distribution and abundance in England, it is clear that the continuation of brood meddling, that isn’t being done solely under the guise of ‘research’ (which is how Natural England got away with the brood meddling trial) should be seen as unlawful if alternative actions (e.g. law enforcement) aren’t considered.

I can understand why Natural England is taking its time to publish all the reports evaluating the brood meddling sham. If it issues a brood meddling licence to the Moorland Association it will almost certainly face a threat of legal action by conservationists. If it doesn’t issue a brood meddling licence to the Moorland Association, it may well face a threat of legal action from the grouse shooting industry.

Interesting times.

Buzzard found shot dead in Wolverhampton: RSPCA appeals for information

The RSPCA has issued an appeal for information following the discovery of a dead buzzard that is believed to have been shot.

The buzzard was found by a member of the public near Severn Trent’s Four Ashes Sewage Treatment Works on Enterprise Drive, Wolverhampton, on Wednesday 12 March 2025. It reportedly had ‘pellet wounds to its wing, body and head‘.

The shot buzzard. Photo by RSPCA

There isn’t any information about the type of weapon used (e.g. air rifle, shotgun etc). There were also reports of a second buzzard being killed in the same area but the RSPCA was unable to find a body.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact RSPCA’s appeal line number on 0300 123 8018, quoting incident number 01467643.

DEFRA proposes new measures to further limit burning on England’s grouse moors

This morning DEFRA has announced a series of proposed new (and long-overdue) measures to further limit burning on peatland in England which, if implemented, will not be welcomed by those who own and mismanage moorland for driven grouse shooting.

Peatland burning on a driven grouse moor. Photo: Ruth Tingay

The proposed new measures include significantly increasing the area where the current burning ban is in place, changing the existing definition of ‘deep peat’ from anything over 40cm to anything over 30cm, and revising the existing licensing system to only permit prescribed burning in limited circumstances where there is a strict need (e.g. reducing wildfire risk) and only where the applicant can demonstrate that other methods (e.g. cutting) would not work. The applicant must also ‘show how they intend to move the land away from the need to burn in future in order to receive a licence‘.

DEFRA has also announced that, ‘The England Peat Map, a detailed, open-access map of England’s peatlands, covering extent, depth, and condition, is being developed by Natural England and will be published later in the spring‘. 

Many of these proposed changes to The Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021 were argued for in a legal challenge by Wild Justice in 2021 (see here). The courts did not give permission for the legal challenge to proceed and even refused an appeal against that decision (see here) and yet here we are, four years later, with DEFRA (albeit under a new Government) proposing to introduce some of those very same measures that Wild Justice was calling for! It’s another good example of how campaigners don’t need to win court cases to influence Government policy.

On the face of it, the new proposed measures look like a vast improvement on the Government’s previous regulations in 2021, which were quite rightly criticised by many in the conservation sector for being too weak (e.g. see here), but as ever, the devil will be in the detail.

There is still a strong argument, for example, that ‘peatland’ shouldn’t be defined by peat depth (e.g. see this excellent guest blog from last year in connection with the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill).

Then there’s the more obvious argument that a ban on driven grouse shooting would not just stop grouse moors being set alight every year for the sole purpose of artificially increasing the number of red grouse available to be shot, but it would also be good news for all the hen harriers, peregrines, red kites, buzzards, ravens etc etc that are illegally killed on those moors. If you haven’t yet signed Wild Justice’s petition calling for a ban on this so-called ‘sport’ please do so here.

DEFRA has launched an eight-week consultation on the proposed new burning restrictions which will run until 25 May 2025 (see here). As the announcement was only made this morning it’ll take some time to scrutinise the documents but I expect some in the conservation sector will, in due course, provide helpful summaries and guidance for those who wish to participate. I don’t doubt that the grouse shooting industry will be rallying its troops to argue against the new measures.

Here is a copy of DEFRA’s press release from this morning:

NEW PROPOSALS TO BAN HEATHER BURNING ON PEATLAND TO PROTECT AIR, WATER AND WILDLIFE

Extension to ban of burning on deep peat proposed by Government, so that an extra 146,000 hectares are protected.

  • Peatlands store carbon, improve water quality, provide valuable habitat for wildlife, and help protect communities from flooding
  • Action will improve air quality in villages, towns and cities, help deliver manifesto commitments to reach Net Zero by 2050 and expand wildlife-rich habitat, as part of our Plan for Change

Nature-rich peatland habitats are to be better protected under plans set out by the Government today (Monday 31 March), which would ban burning on peat in the uplands, improving health and wellbeing of people in nearby communities.

Sometimes described as the country’s lungs, peatlands are a vital resource which can store carbon, reduce flood risk, improve water quality, and support rare wildlife such as the golden plover and curlews. They are also some of our richest habitats for dragonflies with 25 of the UK’s 38 species found on upland peatbogs.

However, 80% of England’s peatlands are currently degraded. Burning on peatland increases heather growth, which dries out the peatland, causing it to actually emit rather than store carbon.

Burning of vegetation including heather on this scale causes the release of harmful smoke into the air, impacting air quality across communities. This includes harmful air pollutants for human health, including ones strongly associated with strokes, cardiovascular disease, asthma and some lung cancers.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

Our peatlands are this country’s Amazon Rainforest – home to our most precious wildlife, storing carbon and reducing flooding risk.

The UK has 13% of the world’s blanket bog. A rare global habitat, it is a precious part of our national heritage, and that is why we‘re announcing a consultation on these measures to ensure deep peat is better protected.

These changes will benefit communities by improving air and water quality, and protect homes and businesses from flood damage, which supports economic stability and security under our Plan for Change. 

If implemented, these changes will increase the area currently protected from 222,000 to more than 368,000 hectares of England’s total 677,250 hectares of deep peat, meaning an area equivalent to the size of Greater London, Greater Manchester and West Midlands put together will now be better protected.

The definition of deep peat will be revised, so that deep peat is counted as anything over 30cms rather than 40cms. The entire area of upland deep peat that is potentially subject to burning will be protected.

This approach is being supported by evidence provided by Natural England. Any prescribed burning would need to be done under strict licence, issued where there is a clear need, for example to reduce wildfire risk.  

The consultation will run for eight weeks from today and the public and land managers are urged to have their say. The Government is proposing to refine the existing licencing system whereby applicants need to successfully explain why alternative methods have not or would not work and show how they intend to move the land away from the need to burn in future in order to receive a licence. One of the grounds to apply for a licence to burn will be to reduce the risk of wildfire, so we can balance environmental protection with practical land management. 

The supporting evidence has also been published today. Natural England published a comprehensive updated Evidence Review on ‘The effects of managed burning on upland peatland biodiversity, carbon and water’, along with a Definition of Favourable Conservation Status for Blanket bog, which sets out its view on favourable conservation status for Blanket bog in England.
The England Peat Map, a detailed, open-access map of England’s peatlands, covering extent, depth, and condition, is being developed by Natural England and will be published later in the spring. 

ENDS

UPDATE 8 September 2025: Comprehensive evidence review on effects of grouse moor burning on biodiversity, carbon & water – a report the shooting industry doesn’t seem keen to promote (here)

Murder trial date set for Edradynate Estate ex-gamekeeper David Campbell, accused of shooting former colleague Brian Low in Aberfeldy

A trial date has been set for David Campbell, the former Head Gamekeeper of Edradynate Estate in Perthshire, who is accused of murdering a former colleague, Brian Low, whilst Mr Low was walking his dog on Leafy Lane, near the Pitilie Track close to Aberfeldy in February 2024 (see here for background).

At a virtual hearing at the High Court in Glasgow today, 76-year-old David Campbell’s lawyer, Tony Lenehan KC, said Campbell pleaded not guilty to eight charges and lodged a special defence of alibi in connection to the murder charge.

Prosecutors allege Campbell shot retired groundsman Mr Low, having previously shown ‘ill-will and malice’ toward him.

Both the accused and victim were formerly employed on Edradynate Estate. Photo by Ruth Tingay

It is further alleged that prior to the shooting, Campbell had disabled CCTV cameras at Tigh Na Caorann on Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, in an “attempt to conceal” his whereabouts.

Campbell is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the alleged murder weapon, and an airgun, and having replacement tyres fitted on an electric bike between February and May last year. It is alleged that Campbell dumped a number of items, including a box and a cartridge bag, at Aberfeldy Recycling Centre.

Campbell is also accused of being in possession of an airgun between May 11 2017 and February 16 2024 and discharging it without holding an airgun certificate. 

Campbell also faces five separate breach of the peace charges spanning between July 1995 and September 2012. He is said to have acted in a disorderly manner, putting three men and a woman in a “state of fear and alarm”. This includes claims he threatened to shoot three of them as well as a dog belonging to another. These allegations relate to incidents said to have happened at Edradynate Estate, in The Square in Aberfeldy, and at Scone Palace in Perth.

Lady Drummond fixed a trial date of 2 February 2026 at the High Court in Glasgow, which is expected to last for three weeks. An intermediate hearing is scheduled in Edinburgh on 4 August.

PLEASE NOTE: As this case is live, comments are turned off until proceedings conclude.

Crown Court upholds police decision to revoke convicted gamekeeper John Bryant’s shotgun & firearms certificates

Further to the news about the conviction and sentencing of Lincolnshire farmer/gamekeeper John Bryant for multiple offences at Grange Farms, West Ashby in October 2022, relating to an investigation into the illegal persecution of birds of prey (see here, here and here), Lincolnshire Police’s Rural Crime Team has provided some information about the revocation of Bryant’s shotgun and firearms certificates.

Convicted farmer/gamekeeper John Bryant

“We have been asked about his firearms/shotgun certificates.

“As a direct result of this investigation. Both from matters revolving around the storage and security of firearms and ammunition along with this case being brought against him, his authority to possess firearms and shotguns was also withdrawn. In other words, Lincolnshire Police revoked those certificates so he could no longer possess licensable guns.

“This was contested at Lincoln Crown Court whereby his legal team failed to argue the case and judgement was held in support of the Police decision to revoke them.

“This should also stand as a warning to all certificate holders. One criminal act can easily lose you your right to possess firearms, but also the way you store/secure/keep those firearms can also have a huge detrimental impact on those certificates“.

It sounds then, that in addition to the charges against Bryant for the poison and trap offences, there was also an issue about the storage and security of his firearms and ammunition, although I haven’t seen any report of charges being brought against him for those alleged offences, just a revocation of his licences.

Given that the appeal hearing against his firearms and shotgun licence revocations was held at Lincoln Crown Court (date unknown), this probably accounts for at least some of the reported £100,000 costs incurred by Bryant for his defence, as mentioned in court during his sentencing hearing yesterday.

Looking at the account’s for Grange Farms (West Ashby) Ltd, held on Companies House website, which lists Bryant as one of several Directors (here), the family’s company can easily afford to cover Bryant’s own legal costs in addition to the fine and costs he received from the court (£7,449) from the company’s £1 million+ capital and reserves.

I do wonder about the firearms and shotgun revocations though. Can other family members, residing and/or working at the same property, hold their own certificates and thus legitimately keep firearms and shotguns on the premises? And if so, what measures are taken to ensure John Bryant doesn’t have access to them?

These are genuine questions. I’d welcome the opinion of any firearms experts who might be reading this.

RSPB statement on conviction of Lincolnshire gamekeeper John Bryant

Further to today’s earlier blog on the sentencing of Lincolnshire gamekeeper John Bryant who was found guilty of multiple crimes after a police investigation into the illegal killing of a red kite and two buzzards (see here), the RSPB Investigations Team has issued the following press release:

GAMEKEEPER ORDERED TO PAY OVER £7,000 AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY OF POISON AND TRAP-RELATED OFFENCES

  • Numerous birds of prey had been poisoned in the Belchford area of Lincolnshire over a number of years, leading to a police investigation.
  • Police uncovered large quantities of banned poison and illegal traps on the gamebird shoot.
  • The RSPB is urging the government to introduce a licensing scheme for all gamebird shooting, with the sanction to remove licences to shoot if wildlife protection laws are broken, and to act as a meaningful deterrent to bird of prey crimes in particular.

After a two-day trial at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court, John Bryant (40), of West Ashby, Horncastle was found guilty on 7 March 2025 in relation to four offences. He was sentenced on 20 March 2025 and ordered to pay £7,449 in total – including £2112 in fines for the four offences, £4,492 in costs and a victim surcharge of £845. The court heard how a number of birds of prey were found poisoned in the Belchford area over several years, and how Lincolnshire Police then led a multi-agency search on a pheasant and partridge shoot at Grange Farms, West Ashby in October 2022 together with the RSPB, National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and Natural England.

This case is yet another example of why the RSPB is urging Westminster to introduce a system of licensing for gamebird shooting, to afford birds of prey better protection, and to follow Scotland’s lead on licensing all grouse shooting as a positive start.

Bryant, a gamekeeper and farmer, pleaded guilty to two offences relating to the illegal storage and usage of Alphachloralose. Alphachloralose can be legally used as a poison for rodents using products at 4% concentration or lower. However, during a search of his home, police found the poison illegally decanted into pots in the suspect’s vehicle and outbuilding. These two pots were tested under the WIIS (Wildlife Incident Investigations Scheme) run by Natural England, and found to contain banned and highly dangerous levels (85% and 88%) of the deadly substance. Alphachloralose remains one of the most common substances used for poisoning birds of prey.

Bryant was also found guilty of two offences relating to the possession of two pole traps, deemed as items capable of committing a wildlife offence. Police found unset spring traps (similar to a powerful mouse trap) hanging from wooden posts at two locations on land managed by Bryant. This set up is commonly recognized as a pole trap, used to catch and brutally injure birds of prey that perch on the post when hunting. Pole traps have been banned since 1904.

Forensic DNA analysis conducted by SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture) found traces of Tawny Owl and wood pigeon DNA on one spring trap and the other spring trap tested positive for wood pigeon DNA. Bryant was found not guilty of setting any pole traps.

The District Judge said he found it unrealistic that Bryant would not have known the pole traps were on his land, which had been part of his defence.

Police also found four unset gin traps in an outbuilding belonging to the suspect. Forensic DNA analysis conducted by SASA found bird of prey DNA on three of the gin traps (a mechanical device, illegal in the UK since 1958, designed to catch an animal by the leg using spring-operated jaws). Two had Buzzard DNA on them, with a Sparrowhawk feather identified in the jaws of a third trap. Bryant was charged in relation to possession of the gin traps being items capable of committing a wildlife offence, but was found not guilty.

An assortment of traps found in Bryant’s garage. Photo: RSPB
One of the gin traps with what look like relatively fresh nettles caught in the jaw. Photo: RSPB

Several birds of prey have been found poisoned in the Belchford area over a number of years. In 2022 a Buzzard was found poisoned by Alphachloralose. In 2020 another Buzzard was killed having ingested the banned insecticide Aldicarb, and in 2017 a Red Kite was killed by Alphachloralose. Bryant was not charged in relation to poisoning any of these birds.

It is illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take a wild bird in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Yet the persecution of raptors persists, particularly in connection with land managed for gamebird shooting. Of all individuals convicted of bird of prey persecution-related offences from 2009 to 2023, 68% have been gamekeepers.

Howard Jones, RSPB Senior Investigations Officer, said:

“This case highlights the immense value of police searches in relation to bird of prey persecution which clearly has been an issue in this area. This search found illegal poisons being used in a hugely dangerous manner, putting the public and wildlife at risk, along with a number of illegal traps.

“We are urging the UK Government to introduce a system of licensing for all gamebird shooting, whereby this licence to operate could be revoked if crimes against birds of prey are detected on an estate. This would set a better precedent and act as a greater deterrent to those tempted to commit these crimes. “We thank Lincolnshire Police, and in particular DC Aaron Flint, on an excellent investigation into this case, demonstrating the value in strong partnership working in tackling bird of prey persecution“.

DC Aaron Flint, Forces Wildlife Crime Officer at Lincolnshire Police, said:

“Unfortunately, this case is just one of a large number of bird of prey poisonings reported in Lincolnshire in recent years. However, the outcome demonstrates that Lincolnshire Police takes bird of prey persecution seriously. We thoroughly investigate any reports that relate to criminal activity around birds of prey. Our message is this: If you commit crimes against wildlife in Lincolnshire, we will identify you and you will be put before the courts.

“This investigation was made possible through close collaboration with multiple agencies, and I want to express my gratitude to the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the RSPB, Natural England, CPS and SASA for their invaluable support. The Forensic Analysis Fund also played a vital role in advancing this investigation“.

Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly, Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit:

“Thanks to the work of Police and Partners we have seen justice delivered. This conviction sends a strong message that bird of prey crime will not be tolerated, and you will feel the full force of the national policing capability. These offences are not only cruel, the undermine the conservation of our vulnerable wildlife. These birds should be free for us all to enjoy, not consigned to a police evidence bags.”

If you notice a dead or injured bird of prey in suspicious circumstances, call the Police on 101 and fill in the RSPB’s online reporting form: www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wild-bird-crime-report-form

If you have information about anyone killing birds of prey which you wish to report anonymously, call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.

ENDS

Well done to Lincolnshire Police Rural Crime Team and the partner agencies whose hard work resulted in Bryant’s conviction.

£7,000 is a relatively small fine given the seriousness of Bryant’s crimes, although when compared with some of the recent pathetic fines handed out by courts for wildlife crimes, this figure can be viewed as being substantial.

I’ve also been told by a blog reader who was observing proceedings in court, that it was mentioned that Bryant’s defence costs were £100,000. If that figure is accurate then he certainly has taken a big financial hit.

Private Eye readers learn about the absurd release of 50+ million alien pheasants into UK countryside every year

Conservation campaign group Wild Justice has taken out a full page ad in the latest edition of Private Eye, the UK’s number one best-selling news and current affairs magazine, to draw readers’ attention to the absurd release of over 50 million non-native pheasants into the countryside every year.

This startling fact is not widely known beyond conservation/environmental circles, I guess because it’s not something the gamebird shooting industry has ever really wanted to highlight to the general public.

The annual release of this many non-native pheasants into the UK countryside, plus another 10 million non-native red-legged partridges, just to be used as live targets for people with shotguns, doesn’t quite fit the shooting industry’s narrative of wanting to be seen as the so-called ‘custodians of the countryside’.

Thanks to Wild Justice’s advert, a lot more people are now going to be aware, and probably, appalled.

UPDATE 4 April 2025: Private Eye pulls Wild Justice adverts, causing ‘Streisand Effect’ (here)

UPDATE 27 April 2025: Private Eye ‘explains’ (sort of) its reasons for pulling Wild Justice adverts (here)

Former Scottish gamekeeper receives pathetic sentence for digging Badger sett

A former gamekeeper has been sentenced after being found guilty of two wildlife crime offences relating to the digging and blocking of a badger sett in Fife.

Dylan Boyle, 52, from Avonbridge, Falkirk, had been filmed on 10 January 2023 by a field officer from the League Against Cruel Sports who was monitoring the activities of the Fife Fox Hunt on farmland near Cupar, which terrier man Boyle was operating alongside that day.

Footage showed Boyle digging in to an active badger sett with a spade and deliberately blocking entrances to the sett with rocks, nets and earth using a spade. A fox that bolted from the sett was shot and killed.

Screen grab from LACS video footage of Boyle taking photos whilst a dog savages a fox that had bolted from the badger sett that Boyle had been digging up

Boyle had pleaded not guilty to a number of wildlife crime offences and faced trial at Kirkaldy Sheriff Court in September 2024. Boyle’s defence team relied on testimony from an expert witness who happened to be the ‘chief’ of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association’s ‘training centre’. That expert witness reportedly told the court that he’d viewed the footage of Boyle and had ‘not seen anything wrong’ in Boyle’s actions of deliberately interfering with an active badger sett, contrary to the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.

That is deeply concerning given the SGA’s positioning to be a training provider for those operating under the new Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

Boyle told the court that it wasn’t an active badger sett and that badgers ‘must have moved in overnight’ the evening after Boyle had been filmed.

Boyle’s implausible explanation was not accepted by the court and he was found guilty of two offences but sentencing was deferred for six months for Boyle ‘to be on good behaviour’ (see here).

Appearing for sentencing at Kirkaldy Sheriff Court last week, Sheriff Mark Allen fined Boyle a pathetic £400 after hearing he had ‘been of good behaviour’ since his conviction.

Penalties for interfering with a badger sett include a maximum of 12 months imprisonment and / or a £40,000 fine.

Robbie Marsland, Director of the League Against Cruel Sports in Scotland said:

“Despite Scotland having some of the strongest animal welfare legislation in the UK, the courts too often issue modest penalties for wildlife crimes.

“Mr. Boyle’s actions demonstrated wanton cruelty and a disregard for the law but sentences like this provide little deterrent to those who harm wildlife.

“If we are serious about protecting Scotland’s wildlife, meaningful penalties that reflect the severity of these crimes are required to serve as a deterrent.

“While this case should remind those who harm wildlife that our cameras are everywhere, it should also prompt a serious reconsideration of how our justice system responds to animal cruelty“.

UK Governments miss deadline for responding to recommendations for restrictions on use of toxic lead ammunition

It probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone to learn that the UK Government, along with the Welsh and Scottish Governments, have missed the deadline (13 March 2025) to respond to the Health & Safety Executive’s recommendations for restrictions on the use of toxic lead ammunition, including a ban on the use of lead shot for live quarry shooting (see here for background).

Here is a press release from a consortium of campaigners who have been working on this issue for many years:

‘DELAYS MEAN DEATHS – BAN TOXIC LEAD AMMUNITION NOW’, EXPERTS URGE GOVERNMENT

Environmental charities and campaigners insist there is still time for the government to save thousands of waterbirds from needless and painful deaths despite another delay on the decision to ban toxic lead ammunition.

Steve Reed, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was expected to announce a decision on the future of lead ammunition on Thursday 13 March, but this deadline has been missed.

It follows a three-month review of long-delayed recommendations on the use of lead ammunition published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in December 2024.

Dr Julia Newth, an expert on the impact of lead on birds at WWT, said: “In what has been a string of endless delays, this was the government’s chance to stand on the side of wildlife and choose a lead-free future – and yet, we’re still waiting for a decision.

“More delays will mean more unnecessary deaths. Ending the era of lead is in all of our interests and there’s still time for the government to show it is prepared to take this historic opportunity to rid society of toxic lead ammunition once and for all.” 

Just last month, research by Cambridge University revealed five years of promises to phase out the toxic lead shot had failed spectacularly, despite industry pledges to comply (see here).

WWT, the charity for wetlands and wildlife, has been leading a coalition of charities and parliamentarians urging the government to bring in a full and swift ban of lead ammunition.

Earlier this year WWT, RSPB, Wildlife and Countryside Link, CHEM Trust and Wild Justice penned an open letter to Steve Reed calling for a transition period towards a full ban of lead shot of no more than 18 months.

Separate letters were sent to the respective Welsh and Scottish environment secretaries, who will play a key role in the final decision.

Following this, more than 14,000 people wrote to the Secretary of State calling for a swift and full ban on lead ammunition.

Golden eagles are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning. Photo by Pete Walkden

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “Toxic lead has been poisoning our environment and wildlife for far too long, so it’s disappointing that Government has missed the deadline to respond to recommendations to ban it in ammunition. “This would have been the first chemical ban or restriction the UK implemented since leaving the EU, compared to ten implemented on the continent. As the gap between the UK and EU on chemical safety gets ever bigger, we hope that ministers will get back on track, with a rapid ban on lead ammunition and alignment with the EU on the other toxic chemicals polluting UK waters, communities and wildlife.”

The RSPB’s Director of Conservation, Katie-Jo Luxton, said: “The case for ending toxic lead ammunition is clear. Shooting organisations themselves committed to phasing it out by 2025, so now is the time to act. We need swift action to ban lead, ensuring regulation follows urgently. With a legally binding target to halt species decline by 2030, the UK Government has a chance to eliminate a major threat with immediate effect.”

Dr Anna Watson, Director of Policy and Advocacy at CHEM Trust said: “This gives an alarming picture of how difficult it is to regulate harmful substances in the UK, now we have left the EU. The Government should ban toxic lead in ammunition to prevent the needless poisoning of tens of thousands of waterbirds.

“Our chemical regulatory system needs to get back on track to protect people and wildlife from harmful chemicals. The UK should adopt a strategic policy of matching or exceeding EU bans and other controls on harmful chemicals. This is the pragmatic way to prevent the long-term harm that will be caused by continuing with the current sluggish and inadequate approach.”

Dr Ruth Tingay, Co-Director of Wild Justice said: “The Secretary of State has many difficult decisions to make. This isn’t one of them. Does he want to protect wildlife, the environment and people from the poisonous effects of toxic lead ammunition, knowing that there are suitable alternatives readily available? The answer should be a quick, easy and resounding “YES”. How hard can it be?”

Lead is toxic and has been poisoning our countryside for decades, as a result of lead ammunition pellets discarded from shooting. Every year, 7,000 tonnes – about the weight of the Eiffel Tower – of poisonous lead is scattered into our environment.

ENDS

DEFRA has previously argued, whilst waiting for the recommendations from the HSE: “The use of lead shot in England and Wales is already legally prohibited in specific circumstances – including on all foreshores, and in or over specified sites of special scientific interest, predominantly wetlands“.

It’s accurate to say toxic lead shot ‘is already legally prohibited in specific circumstances’ but that statement needs to be put into context by including the phrase, “but we’re aware that compliance is very poor and so further legislation is obviously required urgently“.

Poor compliance has been evidenced by a number of scientific papers showing that the shooting industry is consistently failing to comply with current regulations on using lead ammunition in sensitive environments in England (here and here) and in Scotland (here).

And UK governments are consistently failing to act, even when they’ve been handed a golden opportunity to do so, as with the HSE recommendations.

This decision should be an absolute no-brainer and I can’t think of a single legitimate excuse for further delay.

Chris Packham talks driven grouse shooting with gamekeeper Glenn Massacre

For those of you on social media you may recently have been introduced to gamekeeper* Glenn Massacre.

For those of you not on social media, here’s your introduction, via a recently filmed conversation between Chris Packham and Glenn.

They have a nice chat about driven grouse shooting and Glenn provides some fascinating insights from a gamekeeper’s perspective.

There’ll be more to come from Glenn Massacre over the coming weeks.

You can watch this first conversation here:

If you’d like to support the petition to ban driven grouse shooting, PLEASE CLICK HERE. The petition currently has 78,000 signatures. It requires 100,000 signatures before 22 May 2025 to trigger a debate in Westminster.

*For the avoidance of doubt, Glenn Massacre is obviously a parody, created by the evil genius Henry Morris.