Refusal to prosecute hunting crime by claiming there is 'Insufficient Evidence'.

S Rhosier made this Freedom of Information request to Thames Valley Police This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

Thames Valley Police did not have the information requested.

Thames Valley Police

With reference to:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho... and the Kimblewick hunt captured on CCTV 12/12/20

Specifically:
'Somerset Wildlife Crime said Dorset Police told members they would not press charges because the video did not show proof of “intent” to hunt the animal.'

1. As the Kimblewick investigation also astoundingly resulted in a failure to prosecute, please provide all policy, training and instruction documentation referencing 'intent to hunt an animal' and how it can be demonstrated if video and witness evidence is 'insufficient'.
2. Please also explain why decisions not to prosecute are delayed until the approach of the six-month time limit on summary offences as this is now a standard practice across all forces, allowing no time for the reporters of crime to take action in response. This practice shows unprofessional conduct and a level of unacceptable bias that protects the hunt reported at the expense of the wildlife they kill.
3. On December 12 2020 there was an identical report of illegal hunting made to your force re the Kimblewick. The excellently-high quality CCTV footage, some with sound, was deemed 'insufficient evidence' after that force interviewed the huntsman involved, as he successfully claimed that he had no intention to hunt a wild animal that day despite being captured on video actively encouraging hounds to a successful kill.
4. The inference is that something as subjective as 'intent' is decided by police without reference to the actual reporters of such crimes and in a way which clearly benefits the hunts reported for breaches of the Hunting Act, which is the least-enforced legislation on the statute book.

It thus appears there is a national agreement across all police forces to avoid prosecution costs by this questionable method of excluding inarguable evidence on the word of hunts who will naturally use any means of avoiding justice. This is unacceptable to any reasonable member of the public and calls the policing of hunts into disrepute.

S Rhosier

Public Access TV, Thames Valley Police

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Public Access TV, Thames Valley Police

1 Attachment

Dear sir/madam

 

Please find the attached response from Thames Valley Police to your
request for recorded information.

 

Regards

 

 

Darren Humphries  | Public Access Officer

Joint Information Management Unit | Hampshire Constabulary & Thames Valley
Police

[email address] | Address Thames Valley Police
Headquarters, Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 2NX

 

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Thames Valley Police

In response to the latest deliberate refusal to address the matter on which I sought protocols, I have one final question:

How on earth did Chief Constable John Campbell QPM acquire a QPM, [extraneous material removed]

S Rhosier

Public Access TV, Thames Valley Police

This message has been hidden. Response hidden from public view due to it quoting problematic extraneous material. Substance of response stated: "Under the provisions of the FOIA legislation, Thames Valley Police are obliged to disclose recorded information and not necessarily answer questions or confirm/deny statements. Under Section 8(1)(c) this question is not deemed to be a request under the provisions of the Act. " If you are the requester, then you may sign in to view the message. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Public Access TV

Again your force manages to slither away from addressing the fact that you are NOT accountable to anyone. Give yourselves a pat on the back for being so openly corrupt.

S Rhosier