Two men sentenced for illegal metal detecting in Norfolk
They were made to pay fines
Two men have appeared in court after being found with metal detectors and spades on private Norfolk land without permission.
John Taylor, 41, of Elizabeth Crescent, Holt, and Gavin Reay, 27, of Links Avenue, Cromer, appeared at King’s Lynn Magistrates Court on Thursday 27 July, 2023.
The two men were arrested after being spotted on land in Little Walsingham by gamekeepers on the estate on 24 November, 2022.
They were found to be in possession of metal detectors and spades as well as other equipment used to find items in the ground.
Neither had sought permission to search at the site.
Officers say they admitted going equipped for theft and were each handed a 12 month conditional discharge as well as court costs and a victim surcharge totalling £171.
It means that if they commit another crime they can be sentenced for this offence and the new one.
Rural crime officer PC Chris Holmes said nighthawking, as illegal metal detecting is known, would not be tolerated in Norfolk and offenders would be brought to justice wherever possible: “Taking items from the ground, not declaring them, and potentially selling them on to private dealers results in a loss of valuable history and context.
“I hope this sends out a strong message that it is not acceptable to trespass on private land and steal our heritage.
“There is a code of practice for metal detecting - people cannot simply detect where they like and keep what they find for personal gain as the items could rewrite history.
“The first rule is ‘do not trespass’. If you do not obtain permission from the landowner this is an offence of going equipped to steal.
“Furthermore, it is illegal for anyone to use a metal detector at any site with a special designation without permission from the appropriate authority.”