Larsen Trap Scandal

Hoghton Tower Shoot staff left a juvenile crow in a bird trap without water on one of the hottest days of the year. Another juvenile crow was found dead in a trap nearby and and its water container was bone dry .

Animal welfare campaigners discovered the three Larsen Traps on the Hoghton Tower estate after being alerted by a member of the public who had see the traps when looking for his missing dog.

Larsen Traps were designed by a Danish gamekeeper in the 1950s, but are now banned in that country because they are viewed as inhumane for trapping magpies and crows.

The Crown Prosecution Service legal guidance for Wildlife Offences state, "Each Larsen cage-trap, which contains as a decoy a live bird, must be inspected on at least one occasion in any 24-hour period... The decoy bird must be provided with adequate food, water, shelter and a perch for the entire period during which it is used."

The traps were inspected three times over a 24 hour period, twice by animal welfare campaigners and once by the Police. On each of the visits one of the live decoy crows was without water on one of the hottest days of the year.

The investigating officer, David Brown PS383, stated, "...we have referred the matter to our Force Wildlife Officer PC 689 Thomas, as the constabulary expert in this field. He has viewed your footage and obtained an account from the gamekeeper. He has also spoken with the RSPCA and RSPB.  At this time PC Thomas has advised us that no offences are disclosed and no further action is to be taken."

We contacted both the RSPCA and RSPB at local and national level for an explanation and both organisations were very helpful but neither had any knowledge of the case.

Despite several requests, including one to Pc Duncan Thomas, police have refused to explain why no-one was charged. Both officers were instrumental in bringing seven hunt saboteurs to court. Contrast the openness of the police have with the 'Shooter Community'.