Closed petition Landowners to be strictly liable in criminal law for illegal deaths of raptors

Closed on 22 January 2021

Amend the law so that landowners and leaseholders are stricly liable and cannot hide behind claiming ignorance if raptors are killed on their land. Fear of prosecution is the biggest deterrant and this is the only way that the persecution of these protected birds will be reduced.

Proscutions for the illegal killing of raptors are very rare. This is because it is very difficult to prove who carried out the killings in remote areas and the owners of the land can always claim it was not done on their behalf, and that they knew nothing about it. Whilst there is little fear of prosecution, these killings will continue. If the law is changed so that landowners are strictly liable, they will have to prove that the killing was not carried out by them or members of their staff.