Wildlife crime in Scotland: 2020 annual report

The ninth wildlife crime annual report, with new data from the financial year 2019 to 2020.


Appendix 2A - Further information on COPFS Case Outcomes

Table A: Outcomes of all fish poaching cases
  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
No action 10 8 5 * 5
Alternative to prosecution 15 20 * 10 9
Prosecuted 5 7 * * 3
of which convicted * * * * 1
No. of reports received 30 35 18 15 17
Table B: Outcomes of all other wildlife cases
  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
No action 30 19 25 16 17
Alternative to prosecution 12 15 * 8 5
Prosecuted 18 25 * 15 9
of which convicted * * * 9 4
No. of reports received 60 59 49 39 31

Outcomes by Individual Case Category

Offences relating to badgers

For the period 2015-2020, a total of 9 cases relating to badgers were reported to COPFS.

Table D: Offences relating to birds
  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
No action 9 10 * * 0
Alternative to prosecution * 5 * * 0
Prosecuted * 9 * 6 1
of which convicted * * * * 1
No. of reports received 15 24 13 12 1
Table E: Offences relating to cruelty to wild animals
  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
No. of reports received * 8 0 * 0
Table F: Offences relating to deer
  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
No. of reports received * * * * 3
Table G: Offences relating to hunting with dogs
  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
No action 8 * * * 9
Alternative to prosecution * * * 0 0
Prosecuted * * 9 * 4
of which convicted * * * 0 1
No. of reports received 15 7 22 7 13
Table H: Other wildlife offences
  2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
No action 9 * 5 * 5
Alternative to prosecution 6 * * 5 4
Prosecuted 5 6 * * 2
of which convicted * * 0 * 2
No. of reports received 20 14 10 11 11

Table I: Other conservation offences

For the period 2015-20, a total of 3 cases relating to other conservation offences were reported to COPFS.

Contact

Email: john.gray@gov.scot

Back to top