51AVÊÓÆµ

Former gamekeeper sentenced after killing protected bird of prey with a stick

North Yorkshire Police said RSPB covert cameras had shown Thomas Munday entering a cage trap and striking a common buzzard with a stick, killing it, then tossing it into the front of an all-terrain vehicle and leaving

Chris Brayford
clock • 2 min read
North Yorkshire Police's Rural Taskforce Inspector Mark Earnshaw said: "In the UK, all wild birds are protected by law. As this case shows, we will take robust and effective action to identify perpetrators and put them before the courts."
Image:

North Yorkshire Police's Rural Taskforce Inspector Mark Earnshaw said: "In the UK, all wild birds are protected by law. As this case shows, we will take robust and effective action to identify perpetrators and put them before the courts."

A man has been fined more than £800 after beating a protected wild bird to death with a stick. North Yorkshire Police said Thomas Munday, a former gamekeeper at an estate near Malton, was sentenced...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

Ìý

More on Rural crime

Rural domestic abuse victims still being failed, report says

Rural domestic abuse victims still being failed, report says

Tackling domestic abuse requires the Government to confront inequality in how safety is designed and delivered, and to ensure rural victims, including children and families, are no longer overlooked

Chris Brayford
clock 29 May 2026 • 11 min read
Cost of rural crime drops to £41.5m, according to NFU Mutual report

Cost of rural crime drops to £41.5m, according to NFU Mutual report

Although the cost of rural crime across the UK fell by 6%, in Scotland it rose by 14% reaching £1.4 million

clock 28 May 2026 • 5 min read
Sheep euthanised after 'horrific' dog attack

Sheep euthanised after 'horrific' dog attack

Officers said a member of the public had to pull the dog away from the sheep in order to prevent further injury

Chris Brayford
clock 20 May 2026 • 1 min read