RSPCA makes changes following Wooler Review
RSPCA has agreed to pass cases involving traditional hunts to the police and CPS.
The RSPCA has revealed it will change the way it deals with some prosecutions, following the advice of an independent review of its activities.
Stephen Wooler, former chief inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), published his review of the RSPCA's prosecutions activities last October.
Mr Wooler was asked by the RSPCA to complete the review following controversy over some of its decisions, most notably for its private prosecution of the Heythrop Hunt in 2012, at a cost of £326,000.
The charity's trustees have agreed to pass evidence involving traditional hunts to the police so that they can complete the investigation, before handing it to the CPS. The charity will still carry out an initial investigation to determine the quality of the evidence.
Trustees nonetheless reserved the right to complete investigations and deal with any prosecutions themselves, if the police and CPS do not take the matter up.
This follows Mr Wooler's recommendation that the charity put in place a clear policy for dealing with cases against traditional hunts.
“We will still investigate other individuals for alleged breaches of the Hunting Act, and we have successfully used the Act previously to prosecute offenders with no hunt connections who have used their dogs to torture and terrorise wild animals," explained David Bowles, the charity's assistant director of external affairs.
During the same RSPCA Council meeting, trustees also agreed to introduce a new process for dealing with cases involving animal sanctuaries; prosecution decisions will be reviewed internally by the head of prosecutions and the chief legal officer before proceedings are begun.
The RSPCA will continue to investigate farm animal cases, including those involving members of the its assured scheme, however, cases involving serious welfare breaches may be referred to Trading Standards or Animal Health.
Again, if they decline to take the matter up, the RSPCA reserves the right to institute proceedings itself.
RSPCA says these changes will affect a small minority of cases.
The Wooler Review makes a total of 33 recommendations and advises the charity to reposition its role in law enforcement, bringing it into line with modern expectations of transparency and accountability.
It continues to work through Mr Wooler's remaining recommendations. A full progress report is expected in due course.
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