Antis using H&S legislation against shoots

David63

Well-Known Member
Dear all,

One of you guys has highlighted on another thread on this forum the attack by antis on a shoot, which then used Health & Safety legislation against the shoot.

This is a serious issue, and I hope to give you some back ground.

5 years ago BASC wrote risk assessment guidance specifically for shoots. We put this up on our web site, into Shooting & Conservation magazine, and sent information to all of our affiliated clubs and syndicates.

The information is constantly updated and revised based on any changes in law and any feedback from members.

After the most recent event, we again wrote to all affiliated clubs and syndicates, sent articles into Shooting Times, Sporting Gun, Sporting Shooter, Shooting Gazette, etc. There will also be a story in the next issue of Shooting & Conservation.

If any of you would like a copy of our guidance you can get it off the web site or e-mail me and I will post you a copy.

Attacks on stalkers are pretty rare- attacks on organised shoots are not, nor are attacks on pigeon shooters. Looking at this later group, BASC have developed guidance for lone shooters, which may be relevant for stalkers as well?

Let me know your thoughts.

David
 
Thanks Dave,
Health and Safety and antis are here to stay so any help with both or either is much appreciated. I always put a risk assessment in with deer management plans when getting new ground; it certainly helps in a Court of Law if or when the brown stuff hits the fan.
 
Beowulf,

Thanks,

Good idea to include a risk assessment, indeed I think many land owners will start to demand one.

To be fair we must remember that the Act has been around since 1974, but many of us would never have thought it could possibly relate to a recreational activity – but parts of it certainly do, especially if we have ‘employees’. Remembering of course that employees do not need to be paid or have a written contract for health & safety legislation purposes.

In the case of the antis, the police and CPS were 100% sure they would get a conviction, the defence barrister though had one ‘get out of jail’ card to play. The antis hade been charged with aggravated trespass, i.e. they had committed a trespass with the intent to disrupt a lawful activity.

The defence barrister claimed, and the judge agreed, that because the shoot had more than 5 employees on the day, and did not have a written policy in place (as the law required ), the shoot was acting unlawfully- thus the antis could not have committed aggravated trespass!
 
The Law is a 'Slippery Fish' and a fickle mistress indeed! The Antis/terrorist and criminals have no respect for the Law but they are its biggest subscribers, using it to hog tie the lawful majority of this land. It's preverse! Its the same in the media, LACS have how many members,? Liberty have how many members? Combined they still wouldn't make up half the membership of the WI or the Pigeon Fanciers Association; but LACS and Liberty are always trundled out centre stage in the news to make comment on anything they fancy.

Come the revolution my friends, come the revolution! ;)
 
Yes, I would agree that some of the anti groups are noisy and get possibly more air time than they may deserve, but please try to remember that they have very little political impact.

BUT that does not meand we should let our guard down!

D
 
David

A public thank you for your quick response by E Mail - I can now get started and produce the individual shoot policies and assessments and one for my stalking activities.

Regards
Tonyc :D
 
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