Action Taken Against Suspected Poachers In Sheppey

Robust action was taken last week against suspected poachers in Sheppey.

Kent Police's Rural Task Force officers attended Thomsett Way in Queenborough last Friday (21st October) following reports that poaching was taking place on the land.

Upon arrival officers witnessed four people with eight Jack Russell type dogs who were seen flushing out rabbits from the reeds before chasing them.

A 33-year-old man attempted to evade officers by running away and into a dyke. However, he was detained and subsequently arrested for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order which was in place due to previous similar offending. Sydney Samuels, of Castlerough Lane, Kemsley, has been charged with breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order. He is due before Medway Magistrates’ Court at a later date.

Officers issued a 32-year-old man with a Community Protection Warning and a 29-year-old man was issued with a Community Protection Notice.

The warning serves as a deterrent. If this is ignored then the next time someone commits an offence they are issued with a notice. The notice details preventative conditions to prevent further offending, which includes not to trespass and/or walk dogs off leads on private land. If a notice is breached the next step is arrest.

A 12-year-old boy who was also with the men was given words of warning.

The legislation applies across seven forces which are made up of Kent, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Cambridge and Bedfordshire.

The seven forces work supports Op Galileo – a national initiative set up to primarily combat hare coursing and poaching. The agreement, which has been completed with the support of the Crown Prosecution Service, has allowed the seven forces to work as one when exercising certain powers. This includes sharing interactions and movements, the use of automatic number plate recognition and seizing dogs.