Suffering of protected animals under Home Offices counting rules 97/01

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.028490

I note you seek access to the following information:

REDEFINITION:
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1) In the calendar years a) 2018, b) 2019, c) 2020, d) 2021 and e) 2022, please tell me how many times your police force recorded the crime categorised by the Home Office counting rules as 97/01 "causing, permitting or failing to prevent unnecessary suffering of protected animal" where the protected animal in question was a) a swan, b) a goose or c) a duck. Please provide a breakdown of the total by year and by type of bird.

2) For the 15 most recently recorded crimes captured by question 1's search, please provide me with a verbatim copy of the “investigation summary field” and/or the modus operandi (MO). In addition, please state where each of the 15 crimes occurred. I understand some information may need to be redacted to prevent personal or otherwise sensitive details being divulged.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - In the calendar years a) 2018, b) 2019, c) 2020, d) 2021 and e) 2022, please tell me how many times your police force recorded the crime categorised by the Home Office counting rules as 97/01 "causing, permitting or failing to prevent unnecessary suffering of protected animal" where the protected animal in question was a) a swan, b) a goose or c) a duck. Please provide a breakdown of the total by year and by type of bird.

Between the years given on the code 97/01 we have found two which relate to Swans.

Q2 - For the 15 most recently recorded crimes captured by question 1's search, please provide me with a verbatim copy of the “investigation summary field” and/or the modus operandi (MO). In addition, please state where each of the 15 crimes occurred. I understand some information may need to be redacted to prevent personal or otherwise sensitive details being divulged.

2022	Member of the public called Police to report that 3 swans have been found dead, having been shot and their heads cut off. One of the bodies floated away in the river but the other 2 were put into a black bag. The swans were too decomposed for further examination by the RSPCA. No suspects identified no trace CCTV.	Swan
2022	It is alleged that unknown suspects have thrown a life ring at a Swans nest at FOREST LANE PARK, E7. No suspects identified and no CCTV.	Swan

Section 16 duty to assist:
Please note that in future you may wish to try code 190/00 wild birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 or other codes 108/00, 108/01, 108/02, 108/14, 108/29 and 108/34 if you wish to make another request these could be more appropriate.