Nighthawk Caught

[Baldric]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/7446367.stm

[tomredmayne]

Hung, drawn and quartered springs to mind.............. :evil:

[Steve-B]

The term nighthawker, is normally used in respect of someone using a metal detector to do this, the report doesnt mention whether the guy was using a metal detector or not, anyone know anymore about this?

[StuE]

The first time the 1979 act has been used ! interesting fact.

[Karv]

hopefully they'll make an example of him, first cases are normally good for a deterrent.

[Corinne Mills]

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/mostpopula ... 79_law.php

[Baldric]

Steve, although not mentioned in the article he was caught going equipped (ie with a metal detector) our FLO tipped us off a some months ago that this was coming up, he was evidently caught digging at Reculver Roman Castle in North East Kent, :evil: at least he coughed up on the other sites he had raided, again according to our FLO they did not even know he had hit some of those sites.

[Steve-B]

Ahh, thanks for the info, I just thought it a bit strange that a metal detector wasnt actually mentioned.

[rider]

At last some good news, hope they get all of his ill gotten gains and he gets a realy big fine and a year or two.

[jcmaloney]

The worst he`ll get will be a fine & suspended sentence. There isn`t enough room in the prisons and it will be viewed as a "victimless" crime.

Unfortunately.

[cap10canuck]

Thats great, surprised that thats the first . Although 99% of detectorists I've met are decent law abiding folks, there are unfortunately those that continue to paint a negative picture. The UK has the best "model " and laws to follow in the World, and lets hope it stays that way. In Canada and the US we're not even close to the relationship and viewpoints shared by many Archaeologists in the UK.
Regards

[firesmudge]

Dust off the guilotine, am off down the shoops for some rotten veg

[Corinne Mills]

A train guard from Kent has been sentenced after pleading guilty to stealing Roman artefacts from archeologically important sites across the country.

Mark Staples, who lives in Swanley, was given a three-year conditional discharge for charges relating to theft and illegal excavations from a number of sites protected under the Archaeological Area and Ancient Monuments Act 1979.

He was sentenced at Dartford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning.

The 39-year-old targeted mainly sites and objects of Roman origin including a mosaic from Spoonley Roman Villa in Gloucestershire.

Artefacts were also stolen from excavations at Chilham in Kent and Chanctonbury in Sussex.
Chief Inspector Mark Harrison said: “As a rich archaeological resource, Kent has more archaeological heritage than anywhere else in the country and this man has ruined some areas of these sites of any future scientific evaluation.

“Anyone who has an interest in heritage or who wishes to discover artefacts should join a professional society or formal group.”
Staples was arrested after two illegal excavations at Thurnham Castle near Maidstone and Richborough Roman Fort at Sandwich.

Ch Insp Harrison added: “This case highlights the strong partnership that Kent Police has developed with English Heritage and Kent County Council which seeks to prevent this form of criminal behaviour and we will work to prosecute anyone caught with illegal finds.”

A total of 20 sites with 10 in Kent were visited by Staples and police warned anyone thinking of raiding the county’s rich historical sites that PC Andy Small was the first officer in the country specially trained to deal with heritage crimes.

He has now trained 40 people including special constables, KCC wardens, PCSOs and crown prosecutors in rural and environmental crime and a similar role was created by police in Wales based on his success.

more here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7473781.stm

[AndyK]

Stone him, for being a nighthawker AND having a girlie haircut. His like are not welcome in our hobby.

[lord-percy]

Stone him, for being a nighthawker AND having a girlie haircut. His like are not welcome in our hobby.

But he isn't one of us anyway. Just because an individual uses a tool or weapon for that matter to commit a crime doesn't anchor them into any user or hobby group.

The people who do banks and post offices using shotguns aren't the same ones who pop at clay pigeons and rabbits in a lawful manner at the weekend or those of us who use a PC for similar reasons to this aren't usually the ones who commit fraud, child porn or other offences using a PC are they?

Wake up and realise that the likes of this fellow aren't us. He's a crook using a metal detector in this case to commit a crime so just disown the bas..rd and let the law take it's course which it should.

Princes Philip, Charles, William and Harry all use shotguns but they don't do banks with them.