Jody Harrison Reporter
A SENIOR police officer warned that the RSPB’s “time was coming up” as a
turf war broke out over who should investigate the illegal killing of birds
of prey in Scotland.
Lothian & Borders Police Wildlife & Environmental Crime Officer (WCO)
Charlie Everitt wrote that the conservation charity would “kick and
scream”over being sidelined, but that procedures were changing and its
involvement during investigations would be scaled back.
WCO Everitt, who was seconded to the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU)
as their Scottish Investigative Support Officer, said that RSPB officials
had been already dropped from one investigation in Dumfries and Galloway
because the Crown Office could not justify their presence.
The power struggle came to light in a conversation between the officer and
the then head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, Detective Inspector
Nevin Hunter, in 2013.
DI Hunter was becoming concerned about the RSPB’s role in police
investigations in Scotland and elsewhere, and WCO Everitt emailed him,
saying: “…the RSPB thought they could cite Scotland as a place where they
are still involved in investigations, their time is coming up here as well
– they just haven’t woken up to it yet!
“The RSPB will kick and scream as the transition takes place but ultimately
they cannot change the demands of legal opinion.
“They are – and always will be – simply an NGO (Non-Governmental
Organisation) and cannot expect to manage wildlife crime.”
The comments came after DI Hunter claimed that the RSPB had kept police in
the dark over the case of a details of a marsh harrier being poisoned for
six months, before issuing a press release.
WCO Everitt added: “The threat to effectively withhold raptor persecution
incidents will only result in severe criticism and credibility issues; the
RSPB becoming the biggest obstruction in raptor persecution investigation?!
“As you know, Scotland awaits your [new] SOP [standard operating procedure] with interest.”
The email conversation was revealed through a Freedom of Information
request by the campaign group You Forgot The Birds (YFTB), which was set up
in 2014 by grouse moor supporters to challenge the RSPB’s conservation
efforts.
YFTB director Ian Gregory said: “The RSPB’s arrogance, massive income and
lack of accountability is a dangerous cocktail which politicians should
address.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland distanced the force from the row,
stressing that WCO Everitt was seconded to the NWCU at the time the
conversation took place. She added: “In that position, he does not speak
for Police Scotland.”
Inspector Lou Hubble, Head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit Chief ,
said: “My staff and I maintain a very good professional relationship with
the RSPB.”
Hidden camera footage obtained by the RSPB of George Mutch, jailed for
killing a Goshawk with a trap in 2015.
Martin Harper, the RSPB’s conservation director called into question YFTB’s
decision to make the Freedom on Information request, and accused the
organisation of trying to drive a wedge between the RSPB and wildlife crime
officers
He said: “Our Investigations team does fantastic work to help tackle
wildlife crime.
“We have numerous concerns about these internal police conversations from
four years ago and it is clear that the framing of the question used to
obtain these emails is designed to drive a wedge between the RSPB and the
Police’s Wildlife Crime Unit and our current strong relationship.
“Anyone looking at the question will see that it is attempting take
attention away from our important joint work in stopping the illegal
killing of the UK’s birds. ”
He added: “Stopping wildlife crime is one of the foundations upon which the
RSPB is built. I believe that all those genuinely motivated to end this in
the UK benefit from the proven experience of our Investigations team and so
I urge everyone to continue to work together to do what really matters –
end the illegal killing of birds of prey.
“The RSPB has a long track record in assisting the statutory agencies and
the police, so we were deeply disappointed to find out that in 2013 and
2014 the then head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit was being so
critical behind our backs, circulating false and misleading
comments. These emails were sent at a time when we had been campaigning to
secure the long-term future of the NWCU.
“I am pleased that we currently have a good working relationship both with
police forces across the UK and the NWCU, and I have complete confidence in
the systems and processes which underpin our investigations.”
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