News from Welsh Labour

“North Wales must not become ’soft touch’ for illegal hunting” – Wrexham AM

Wrexham’s Labour Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths, has warned that North Wales must not become a “soft touch” location for those intent on defying the 2004 Hunting Act.

The AM made her remarks following the publication of new statistics that show since 2006, no prosecutions have taken place in North Wales, following complaints received from members of the public about the suspicion that illegal hunting has taken place.

In the period between February 2006 and March 2009, sixty-six incidences of alleged “illegal hunting” took place in North Wales with not a single prosecution ensuing.

In nearly each and every incident, the reason North Wales Police gave for not pursuing the complaint, was due to “no evidence of offences”.

The practice of hunting with dogs was outlawed in the Hunting Act 2004 and came into force in the UK in February 2005 ending the barbaric killing of foxes with hounds.

The publication of the information – which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act – comes following new guidance issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), under which police forces could stop monitoring hunts. This, fears Lesley Griffiths, could leave the door open for hunts to take place illegally.

Under ACPO’s new guidance, hunts will also no longer be required to inform police in advance of the time, the place and the planned route for hunt meetings.

Commenting on the statistics, Lesley Griffiths AM said:

“I am disappointed by these figures. The statistics clearly demonstrate the incidents are not localised problems. The reported occurrences are spread geographically across the length and breadth of North Wales.

“On average, there are over thirty reports of illegal hunting being made each year. Given that North Wales is predominantly a rural area and fox hunting is almost exclusively a rural activity, I would like to see a greater focus made by local police to ensure North Wales must not become a ’soft touch’ location for those intent on breaking the law.

“Of the sixty-six complaints made, I find it inconceivable that insufficient evidence was found in nearly every case. With this level of concern being reported in North Wales, it essential that the public have full confidence that the police will fully investigate each suspected breach of the law.”

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