Dorset Police to review investigation into rare Sea Eagle poisoning
The force say a Senior Detective will look again at the case in the 'interests of transparency'
Dorset Police is reviewing its investigation into the poisoning of a Sea Eagle.
The death of the rare bird of prey made national headlines when a police investigation was criticised by a Dorset MP.
Chris Loder claimed Sea Eagles do not belong in Dorset in February over Twitter, sparking controversy for thousands of commenters. He also said he did not want Dorset Police spending i's resources on the investigation.
The bird had been released on the Isle of Wight as part of a five-year programme to restore this lost species, but was found dead in Dorset.
Dorset Police closed its investigation earlier this year stating it had been unable to confirm deliberate intent to kill the bird or identify potential offenders.
But the force now says it will seek advice from the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme to determine whether a prosecution could be made.
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said:
"We understand that concern has been expressed as to whether more could have been done in respect of the investigation into the death of the white-tailed sea eagle.
"Therefore, in the interests of transparency, it was important for a senior detective to review the investigation, seeking expertise from the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme and liaising with a specialist prosecutor from the CPS to ascertain if the evidential threshold for prosecution is met. We hope this will give confidence in decisions made.
"It has never been in any doubt for Dorset Police that if poisoned deliberately, this is a serious offence as the sea eagle is protected by the law. We have always been keen to secure a prosecution if at all possible and have been working with a range of partners to try and achieve this. Our significant investment in our rural crime team demonstrates our commitment to issues that impact upon, and matter to, our rural communities. This of course includes wildlife crime.
"We have increased the number of officers with knowledge of wildlife crime offences and are working with our partners to ensure we are able to utilise our different powers, expertise and resources to their best effect. We will of course reflect on any learning in respect of the initial or future investigations."