from Sunday Herald, 07 March 2010
One of Scotland’s top sheriffs has come under pressure to quit his leading role in combating wildlife crime after allegedly telling a former police officer concerned about the soft sentences given to wildlife criminals to “get a life”.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond is claimed to have told a police conference on wildlife crime last month that offences against animals weren't even “on the second page” after serious crimes like robbery and assault.
His remarks left delegates, including wildlife crime investigators, shocked and bewildered. They said that Drummond was no longer fit to be involved in the Scottish government’s Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime (PAW), and demanded that he go.
The row comes ahead of new government figures expected to show that the incidence of illegal poisoning of animals in Scotland reached a record high in 2009. The figures are due to be published by ministers in the next two weeks.
Drummond, who sits as a sheriff in the Scottish Borders, is chairman of PAW’s legislation, regulation and guidance subgroup. He has run mock trials for the government to help train police and procurator fiscals how to handle wildlife offences.
His remarks came at the end of a major wildlife crime conference at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan on 17 February. Mark Rafferty, a former police wildlife investigator now with the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, questioned whether wildlife offenders should be given tougher sentences.
According to those present, Drummond responded by asking whether Rafferty wanted people to be hung as they were in Iran. Drummond went on to suggest, observers said, that there were problems with sentencing armed robbers and that wildlife offenders were a much lower priority.
Several witnesses have told the Sunday Herald that the Sheriff finished by telling Rafferty to “get a life”. The conference was then immediately closed, leaving many frustrated at not being able to respond.
Dr Ruth Tingay, from Lothian and Borders Raptor Study Group, which monitors birds of prey, was “utterly astounded” at the comments. “In my view, as long as Sheriff Drummond remains in post, the credibility of PAW Scotland is non-existent,” she said.
She has written to the environment minister, Roseanna Cunningham, and to PAW urging that Drummond be removed from his chairmanship. “I would urge you to investigate this incident and take the appropriate action,” she told them.
She has been backed up by Ronnie Graham, from the Dumfries and Galloway Raptor Study Group. “I personally feel that this outburst and admission of the low priority in which he classes illegal raptor poisoning casts serious doubts over Sheriff Drummond's suitability to sit on this group or be involved in PAW in any capacity.”
The penalty for crimes against wildlife is up to twelve months in jail or a £10,000 fine. But wildlife groups say that most offenders get away with much less.
When approached by the Sunday Herald last week, Sheriff Drummond declined to comment. Some insiders claim, however, that he has been privately contrite about his remarks.
“The protection of Scotland’s environment has never before occupied such a prominent position politically or in terms of the law,” said a spokesperson for the Scottish government
“The persecution of birds of prey continues to be of great concern and we are appreciative of the time Sheriff Drummond devotes to this. The Scottish government has no plans to change the composition of the PAW Scotland legislation, regulation and guidance subgroup.”
The government is preparing to release the latest statistics on wildlife crime gathered by its research agency, Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture. These are likely to show that the number of animal poisoning incidents in 2009 was the highest to date.
Up to September 2009, SASA recorded 66 confirmed incidents, compared to 65 for the whole of 2008. In 2009, the confirmed incidents involved 28 poisoned buzzards, six red kites, five eagles, two otters, a badger and a wildcat. More that 20 of the incidents are the subject of ongoing police investigations.
Comments