December 2024
December was a very busy month, the WCP attended court twice, both on the same case.
- A anticipated decision on whether a bat case was going to trial was expected; only to hear a new technical defence argument being presented on why it shouldn't go to trial! Skeleton arguments on this matter will be heard in the New year.
- The Bat Crime Priority Delivery Group (PDG) sat for a final time in 2024 chaired by Cambridgeshire Police. It was a relatively short meeting but had a focus on actions around ecologists, reporting wildlife crime and survey standards. Engagement with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) will continue.
- The Wildlife and Countryside Link wildlife crime sub group also met, chaired by Dominic Dyer. A written update was provided by the WCP, which included a link to BCTs position statement on HS2, regarding the cost of a bat structure as it passes through Sheephouse Wood, a woodland Site of Special Scientific Interest in Buckinghamshire. https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2024/11/high-speed-2-bat-protection-costs
35th UK Wildlife Crime Enforcement Conference

Mark (centre) from the Wildlife Crime Project with two members of the US Department of Homeland Security (Wildlife Crime Unit) at the National Wildlife Crime Conference 2024.
The 35th UK Wildlife Crime Enforcement Conference took place between the 4th and the 6th December 2024 at Wyboston Lakes, the focus was on what is known in Policing as the 4P's - a framework used to tackle serious and organized crime.
- Prevent - Preventing people engaging in wildlife crime
- Protect - Increasing protection of wildlife against offenders
- Prepare - Reducing the impact of wildlife crime offending
- Pursue - Prosecuting and disrupting wildlife crime offenders and OCGs
The conference welcome address was made by Deputy Chief Constable Harrison, National Police Chief Council lead on wildlife crime. He highlighted to delegates the shared objectives to protect our natural spaces and the species within them from criminality. He added that such crime not only impacts flora and fauna, but our human communities as well, and that all of us must recognise the threat that such offending can have on our well being. He made it clear that prevention of such crimes is a priority.
Congratulations to DC Aaron Flint for winning the National Wildlife Crime Enforcer of the Year Award 2024.
Police bat related incidents 2024
2024 case numbers
As of 31st December 2024 the Wildlife Crime Project at BCT had oversight and/or provided support on 91 police incidents. The National Wildlife Crime Unit will combine BCT data with their own to produce a more accurate figure. This analysis will take place early 2025 and the WCP will publish the results once known. Engagement with the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies via the Bat Crime PDG will also be sought for their data on breaches of EPS licences. This work with the NWCU aims to address the gap in police reporting to BCT until a Home Office decision is made on making wildlife crime recordable and notifiable.
It is imperative that the public, bat workers and consultant ecologists report species offences to the police, no matter what their considered views are of the police or their response to such reporting. Further it is critical that alerting BCT with such details including the police incident number is made for at least statistical purposes.
Police outcomes for 2024
There are several 2023 and 2024 police investigations ongoing into 2025, but at the time of writing there have been 7 Community Resolutions (out of court disposals) 1 Police verbal warning, 2 Police conditional cautions and 1 conviction, whilst four cases are pending CPS/Court decisions for bat related offences in 2024. There are no doubt more case disposal outcomes we are yet to learn about.