idiot neighbour

[Muskett]

Proportionality is exactly what your post is lacking

We are showing responsibility when we say it should be reported

No one would be "straight to jail", neither would the police be "kicking down doors"
If you were lucky in about a week he'd get a visit from a uniform asking him to explain what had happened.
It took 10 days for them to appear after my idiot neighbour made the written statement I referred to above & that was only 2 years ago.

Personally I view anyone who argues against reporting such behaviour as partially condoning it.

Well this is where you are wrong. The Police have a history of kicking down door for even lesser reasons than here.
I presume you are not enjoying the Police involvement to the erroneous accusation? You are now on record.
And you want this case to go the same way, when quite possibly there was no need after a quiet word?

[angrybear]

Well this is where you are wrong. The Police have a history of kicking down door for even lesser reasons than here.
I presume you are not enjoying the Police involvement to the erroneous accusation? You are now on record.
And you want this case to go the same way, when quite possibly there was no need after a quiet word?

Well I've never heard of kicking down a door over shooting birds/wildlife in a neighbours garden, which is the event you report to the police.

It cost me a couple of hours to explain & show them proof of my version of events and the truth of the matter came out against the idiot.
Yes it's on record, so what ? my new FEO mentioned it at my renewal, I explained the whole thing & the renewal went through, no great shakes.

Big difference, it was a total lie against me from a nutcase I'd told to stop trespassing on my land.
In this case the idiot has been seen carrying out these illegal acts,
so reporting the shooting of the bird in his garden, along with his having been seen by the partner shooting from his doorstep is the justified course of action.

[Muskett]

So you make my point: once Police get involved it never goes away.
The Police have a notorious reputation for over reacting on gun related issues. Sometimes for good reason, and sometimes a little more thought might have helped. Tough call for the Police, they don't need the extra work when its not completely necessary.
Thankfully, they have generally stopped swooping down with swat team and helicopter on pigeon shooters sitting in a field protecting crops; all from some "report of people with guns in a field".
There have been other incidents too.
We all know the legislation on toy guns (airsoft replicas) was not for public safety but because the Police didn't want to ever have to shoot someone with a toy gun again; and have to explain it all let alone a policeman have to live with that fact. (Criminals will just spray the brightly coloured replicas with a £6 can of paint. The law abiding public are now denied the pleasure of collecting such toys, or joining a reenactment or airsoft club. The Police can now shoot with confidence that its not a toy )