Written Question · S4W-26064 · Session 4
How many people have been (a) prosecuted, (b) fined and (c) imprisoned for acts of (i) wildlife and (ii) environmental crime in each of the…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been (a) prosecuted, (b) fined and (c) imprisoned for acts of (i) wildlife and (ii) environmental crime in each of the last 10 years.
The answer
The available information is given in the following tables.
Wildlife crime as defined by The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime in Scotland (PAW Scotland): is any unlawful act or omission, which affects any wild creature, plant or habitat in Scotland.
Environmental crime as defined by the Environmental Crime Taskforce: an act or omission which directly or indirectly damages the environment (or has the potential to damage the environment) and which constitutes a breach of criminal law.
People proceeded against in Scottish Courts for wildlife offences, where main charge:
Crime Group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Total prosecutions
63
65
69
92
77
32
57
71
77
81
Birds, offences involving
11
8
15
14
10
7
6
15
19
10
Cruelty to wild animals
1
1
1
10
9
4
2
4
9
4
Deer offences
-
1
-
2
-
-
3
8
3
5
Hunting with dogs
3
24
17
15
8
10
9
5
11
9
Offences involving badgers
-
-
7
11
1
2
3
2
-
-
Poaching and game laws
5
5
3
6
3
4
8
8
1
-
Possession of salmon or trout as result of offence
7
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Possession of salmon or trout unlawfully obtained
1
3
-
3
3
-
1
2
2
1
Salmon and freshwater fisheries offences
29
18
21
25
32
3
21
16
21
42
Other wildlife offences
6
5
5
6
11
2
4
11
11
10
People receiving fines or custodial sentences for wildlife offences, where main charge
Main Result of Proceedings by crime group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Custody total:
1
1
-
-
1
-
-
1
1
1
Birds, offences involving
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
Cruelty to wild animals
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
Hunting with dogs
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
Other wildlife offences
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fines total:
38
40
36
50
39
18
36
37
33
44
Birds, offences involving
6
5
9
4
5
3
3
10
9
4
Cruelty to wild animals
1
1
-
4
6
1
2
3
4
1
Deer offences
-
-
-
2
-
-
3
2
1
3
Hunting with dogs
2
9
7
5
-
6
3
-
2
4
Offences involving badgers
-
-
2
4
-
2
3
1
-
-
Poaching and game laws
5
2
1
6
2
3
3
3
-
-
Possession of salmon or trout as result of offence
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Possession of salmon or trout unlawfully obtained
1
2
-
1
3
-
1
1
2
-
Salmon and freshwater fisheries offences
16
18
13
19
17
2
15
11
10
27
Other wildlife offences
1
3
4
5
6
1
3
6
5
5
People proceeded against in Scottish Courts for environmental offences, where main charge
Crime group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Total
362
343
315
280
187
181
199
171
128
173
Agricultural offences
1
1
2
-
3
2
-
-
1
-
Clean air Acts
1
5
4
7
2
1
5
4
1
1
Contravention of sec 6(1) by continuing to operate proscribed process
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Control of pollution
235
255
208
154
105
102
80
62
72
58
Dog fouling
9
11
11
8
14
32
65
52
28
86
Fraud
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
-
-
Litter Offences
43
39
56
93
47
25
27
21
13
17
Oil pollution in navigable waters
17
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978
23
10
13
5
2
5
-
2
-
1
Sea fisheries offences
29
17
17
7
8
5
7
11
5
1
Smoking in public places
-
-
-
1
-
1
9
3
4
4
Water Acts
-
-
3
4
3
5
4
11
3
2
Other Environmental Protection Act Offences 1990
-
-
-
-
1
2
2
3
1
2
Other conservation offences
3
-
-
1
1
1
-
1
-
-
People receiving fines or custodial sentences for environmental offences, where main charge
Main Result of Proceedings by crime group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Custody total:
-
-
-
2
-
3
-
-
1
2
Control of pollution
-
-
-
2
-
3
-
-
1
2
Fines total:
277
271
235
Wildlife crime as defined by The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime in Scotland (PAW Scotland): is any unlawful act or omission, which affects any wild creature, plant or habitat in Scotland.
Environmental crime as defined by the Environmental Crime Taskforce: an act or omission which directly or indirectly damages the environment (or has the potential to damage the environment) and which constitutes a breach of criminal law.
People proceeded against in Scottish Courts for wildlife offences, where main charge:
Crime Group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Total prosecutions
63
65
69
92
77
32
57
71
77
81
Birds, offences involving
11
8
15
14
10
7
6
15
19
10
Cruelty to wild animals
1
1
1
10
9
4
2
4
9
4
Deer offences
-
1
-
2
-
-
3
8
3
5
Hunting with dogs
3
24
17
15
8
10
9
5
11
9
Offences involving badgers
-
-
7
11
1
2
3
2
-
-
Poaching and game laws
5
5
3
6
3
4
8
8
1
-
Possession of salmon or trout as result of offence
7
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Possession of salmon or trout unlawfully obtained
1
3
-
3
3
-
1
2
2
1
Salmon and freshwater fisheries offences
29
18
21
25
32
3
21
16
21
42
Other wildlife offences
6
5
5
6
11
2
4
11
11
10
People receiving fines or custodial sentences for wildlife offences, where main charge
Main Result of Proceedings by crime group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Custody total:
1
1
-
-
1
-
-
1
1
1
Birds, offences involving
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
Cruelty to wild animals
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
Hunting with dogs
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
Other wildlife offences
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fines total:
38
40
36
50
39
18
36
37
33
44
Birds, offences involving
6
5
9
4
5
3
3
10
9
4
Cruelty to wild animals
1
1
-
4
6
1
2
3
4
1
Deer offences
-
-
-
2
-
-
3
2
1
3
Hunting with dogs
2
9
7
5
-
6
3
-
2
4
Offences involving badgers
-
-
2
4
-
2
3
1
-
-
Poaching and game laws
5
2
1
6
2
3
3
3
-
-
Possession of salmon or trout as result of offence
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Possession of salmon or trout unlawfully obtained
1
2
-
1
3
-
1
1
2
-
Salmon and freshwater fisheries offences
16
18
13
19
17
2
15
11
10
27
Other wildlife offences
1
3
4
5
6
1
3
6
5
5
People proceeded against in Scottish Courts for environmental offences, where main charge
Crime group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Total
362
343
315
280
187
181
199
171
128
173
Agricultural offences
1
1
2
-
3
2
-
-
1
-
Clean air Acts
1
5
4
7
2
1
5
4
1
1
Contravention of sec 6(1) by continuing to operate proscribed process
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Control of pollution
235
255
208
154
105
102
80
62
72
58
Dog fouling
9
11
11
8
14
32
65
52
28
86
Fraud
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
-
-
Litter Offences
43
39
56
93
47
25
27
21
13
17
Oil pollution in navigable waters
17
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978
23
10
13
5
2
5
-
2
-
1
Sea fisheries offences
29
17
17
7
8
5
7
11
5
1
Smoking in public places
-
-
-
1
-
1
9
3
4
4
Water Acts
-
-
3
4
3
5
4
11
3
2
Other Environmental Protection Act Offences 1990
-
-
-
-
1
2
2
3
1
2
Other conservation offences
3
-
-
1
1
1
-
1
-
-
People receiving fines or custodial sentences for environmental offences, where main charge
Main Result of Proceedings by crime group
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Custody total:
-
-
-
2
-
3
-
-
1
2
Control of pollution
-
-
-
2
-
3
-
-
1
2
Fines total:
277
271
235
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-26064 by reference.