Nature lover complains over ‘wrongful arrest’ after freeing animals caught in snares

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A nature lover who freed a younger deer and a hare that had been frantically struggling whereas caught in snares has complained to police that he was wrongfully arrested.

In a case that impressed public anger, Doug Maw confronted 9 prices – six of prison injury and three of theft – for allegedly tampering with or taking traps and snares designed to focus on wildlife.

Police had arrested the activist almost a 12 months in the past after he posted footage he took of the gadgets and animals caught in them on land in Sussex.

He says he filmed for a number of seconds earlier than freeing the fawn and the hare, which each ran away. Animal lovers hailed him a hero for the rescues.

But Mr Maw says the costs police introduced had been false as a result of they had been primarily based on different clips that he had posted on social media. In some, he says he was “clearly” not in the movies and even in Sussex the place the footage was shot.

At Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday, the choose formally declared him not responsible after prosecutors supplied no proof – though he may nonetheless face a non-conviction restraining order in a listening to subsequent month.

He stated his arrest and prosecution had been weird.

“It’s crazy – the use of snares is barbaric,” he advised The Independent. “It’s reasonable for someone who wants to release a wild animal from a trap or snare that causes them harm.

“I’m a thorn in the side of estates so police looked through my social media and backdated charges to dates when I uploaded things. “In some clips it’s clearly not me – I don’t wear nail polish and have long hair.”

Mr Maw, 54, a veteran hunt saboteur, admits he and others typically trespass on land to forestall the crime of foxhunting.

Professor Stephen Harris, a former Bristol University tutorial, gave proof to the Welsh authorities that led to a ban on snares there, he stated, and the identical proof has led to a coming ban in Scotland later this 12 months.

Under the Protection of Wild Mammals Act, freeing wildlife that’s struggling supersedes the injury to a snare inflicting hurt to animals, in accordance with Mr Maw, and gamekeepers ought to launch “non-target” species – these caught accidentally.

After Wednesday’s listening to, he wrote to Sussex Police demanding they return the possessions of his that they took when he was arrested.

He stated on the day he appeared in courtroom, individuals linked to the countryside tried to intimidate him by leaving canine mess on his doorstep.

“I’ve put up cameras now but it’s all been very stressful,” he stated.

Sussex Police stated: “We have a duty to investigate all reports of crime in line with relevant legislation and take proportionate action where necessary.

“A thorough investigation was launched in July, 2023, into reports of criminal damage and theft with a value of around £1,700.”

They added: “We work closely with the Criminal Prosecution Service and, following developments in the case, the CPS confirmed there was not enough evidence for a realistic chance of securing conviction.

“A number of relevant items were seized as evidence during the investigation and these will be returned following formal declaration from the Crown Prosecution Service that the trial has been discontinued.”

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson stated: “We can only prosecute cases where there is enough evidence for us to have a realistic chance of securing a conviction – following changes to the evidence available in this case, this test was no longer met.”