Animals treated no better than ‘chairs’ by legal system, says charity
After a case involving multiple dead cats in Islington was discontinued in court, the group warns that animal cruelty offences are low on the priority list for state prosecutions.
At least 20 dead cats were found on a housing estate in Islington, North London, since September last year.
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Low prosecution priorities and difficulties in meeting legal evidential test mean that the UK legal system does not treat animals the same as human victims, according to a charity.
The Animal Welfare Investigations Project (AWIP), a charity dedicated to exposing serious cases of animal cruelty, is concerned by how the British legal system treats animals.
Its principal investigator, Jacob Lloyd, said the British legal system treats animals “the same as a chair”.
He says animal victims are not treated the same way as human victims by courts.
This reaction follows the discontinuation of an animal cruelty offence in north London.
The case involved the discovery of at least 20 dead cats on a housing estate in Islington. A 56-year-old man pleaded not guilty to two offences at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court last month.
The Crown Prosecution Service said “Prosecutors must keep cases under continual review to ensure our legal test is met. After receiving further evidence, we concluded there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction and we discontinued the case.”
In response to the discontinuation, AWIP said “State prosecutions are often under-funded, and prosecutors are overwhelmed with their workload. It is our experience that animal welfare prosecutions are low on the agenda.
“Prosecuting crimes against animals is difficult because animals have no voice. They rely on witnesses to speak up for them.”
Animal Cruelty Offence Data
Data from the Metropolitan Police shows the number of animal cruelty offences in London over a period of more than three years.
Over this period, Bromley had the highest count with 28 animal cruelty offences. Further data demonstrates 11% of those 28 offences had a positive outcome.
According to the data provided by the Metropolitan Police, over this 45-month period, no London borough reached a positive outcome in at least 1 in 4 animal cruelty offences.
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HeadlineAnimals treated no better than ‘chairs’ by legal system, says charity
Short HeadlineAnimals treated no better than 'chairs', says charity
StandfirstAfter a case involving multiple dead cats in Islington was discontinued in court, the group warns that animal cruelty offences are low on the priority list for state prosecutions.
Low prosecution priorities and difficulties in meeting legal evidential test mean that the UK legal system does not treat animals the same as human victims, according to a charity.
The Animal Welfare Investigations Project (AWIP), a charity dedicated to exposing serious cases of animal cruelty, is concerned by how the British legal system treats animals.
Its principal investigator, Jacob Lloyd, said the British legal system treats animals “the same as a chair”.
He says animal victims are not treated the same way as human victims by courts.
This reaction follows the discontinuation of an animal cruelty offence in north London.
The case involved the discovery of at least 20 dead cats on a housing estate in Islington. A 56-year-old man pleaded not guilty to two offences at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court last month.
The Crown Prosecution Service said “Prosecutors must keep cases under continual review to ensure our legal test is met. After receiving further evidence, we concluded there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction and we discontinued the case.”
In response to the discontinuation, AWIP said “State prosecutions are often under-funded, and prosecutors are overwhelmed with their workload. It is our experience that animal welfare prosecutions are low on the agenda.
“Prosecuting crimes against animals is difficult because animals have no voice. They rely on witnesses to speak up for them.”
Animal Cruelty Offence Data
Data from the Metropolitan Police shows the number of animal cruelty offences in London over a period of more than three years.
Over this period, Bromley had the highest count with 28 animal cruelty offences. Further data demonstrates 11% of those 28 offences had a positive outcome.
According to the data provided by the Metropolitan Police, over this 45-month period, no London borough reached a positive outcome in at least 1 in 4 animal cruelty offences.
