Man prosecuted for taking dead deer

[otolith]

Given how overstretched our justice system is, how on earth is this in the public interest?

https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/...

[Foss62]

Seems like madness to me. It also calls into question what most people believe regarding roadkill - that as long as you didn’t hit it yourself, you can take it.
The landowner here, is presumably the highways authority?

[bobtail4x4]

its theft

it belongs to whoever owns the land it died on,

must be more to this,

[Hereward]

May be one of those cases where the letter of the law is being applied with no recourse to common sense. Hopefully common sense will now prevail.

There was a squashed fox on my road. As I was carrying it to move it into the undergrowth a police car drove by. I did a shrug and a lame smile and they drove on by. Seems like I got away with it.

[Landlubber]

I dont think you are mate.

[Courser]

If it was on a main road or roadside verge it would be the council.
They lift them and put them in the bin,

Stupid of the police to think this is a worthwhile prosecution, and who the hell decided it should go to court ?

God knows I’ve lifted plenty, usually in front of the person who hit it.
On one occasion the driver was on the phone to the police so I told them directly I was taking it, they were quite happy.
The drivers face when I folded it into the boot of an MX5 was a picture.

I’ve also killed a fair number of deer that had been hit by cars just as I was passing ( dense population of Roe in my area)

[Courser]

Hereward said:

May be one of those cases where the letter of the law is being applied with no recourse to common sense. Hopefully common sense will now prevail.

There was a squashed fox on my road. As I was carrying it to move it into the undergrowth a police car drove by. I did a shrug and a lame smile and they drove on by. Seems like I got away with it.

This law only applies to deer.

[LunarOne]

A friend of mine spends a significant portion of his time shooting deer at the behest of the landowner, and he takes many of them home to gralloch and butcher.

He told me many years ago that anyone may take roadkill as long as they were not involved in the death of the animal itself - and I must admit that this was already my understanding of the law. If it isn't correct, then it does nevertheless seem to be prevailing wisdom.

I remember him being hauled in front of HR after parking in the office car park with a dead deer (which he'd come across on his way to work) hanging from one of his roof rails. He'd made every effort to park at the far end of the car park with the carcass facing towards the woods that surrounded the car park so as not to alarm anyone, but someone still made a complaint.

Anyway, I think it's pretty ridiculous that the police have taken it this far.

[Hereward]

Courser said:

This law only applies to deer.

Doh, thanks, I hadn't processed that key bit of information.

[Starfighter]

That could create some unintended consequences. If a person were to hit a dead der deer causing damage does the driver then have a claim on National Highways?

[LunarOne]

Starfighter said:

That could create some unintended consequences. If a person were to hit a dead der deer causing damage does the driver then have a claim on National Highways?

I don't see how if they only become the property of National Highways upon death.

[Leptons]

Is this the same Durham police that allowed a large crowd to gather, release balloons and set fire to stolen cars unchallenged last week?

[Mumsnet]

Hereward said:

Courser said:

This law only applies to deer.

Doh, thanks....

A female deer? [/Simpsons Movie]

[Hereward]

Mumsnet said:

Hereward said:

Courser said:

This law only applies to deer.

Doh, thanks....

A female deer? [/Simpsons Movie]

I've no idea (geddit?).

[Yellow Lizud]

Hereward said:

Mumsnet said:

Hereward said:

Courser said:

This law only applies to deer.

Doh, thanks....

A female deer? [/Simpsons Movie]

I've no idea (geddit?).

That's a blind elk, completely different!

[Pica-Pica]

Yellow Lizud said:

Hereward said:

Mumsnet said:

Hereward said:

Courser said:

This law only applies to deer.

Doh, thanks....

A female deer? [/Simpsons Movie]

I've no idea (geddit?).

That's a blind elk, completely different!

Still no idea, that's a dead, blind elk.

[wc98]

This is another one of those situations that most people find ludicrous. I don';t care if it's the law, it's a ste law and the muppets that spent all the time on the public dime writing it into legislation all need removed from the gene pool and the Police in question need a loud word from their Sergeant not to be so utterly fking stupid the next time they see someone doing this.

This is definitely a situation that justifies the response "shouldn't you be out catching real criminals".

[CMTMB]

Can the police be charged with wasting police time? Unless there's a lot more to the story than we're being told that seems like a complete waste of important resources.

[paulrockliffe]

I presume the more to it than reported is that he stopped on the A66 and this was an easier prosecution than dealing with the danger he caused getting the deer off the road?

[tight fart]

I keep seeing this
"A country that punishes people for fishing without a license, but not for crossing its borders illegally, is a country governed by idiots."
But it does apply equally apply to dead dear.