An interesting Incident on the Medway. "Get Orf My Foreshore ." ?

[Bouba]

He put it down on the grass, apparently. Hardly 'brandishing a firearm'. Of course he wasn't threatening to use it, he would have lost his licence. He sounds an unpleasant character but this is ridiculous.

If he has blocked a public footpath I would certainly report him for that.

It depends on how the recipient felt at the time....would he shoot them ...or their dog....he drove to them, he could have ditched the gun before he got to them...but he made a show of it...that is intimidation....let the police and magistrate decide...perhaps he had form

 

[Sandydog2]

It depends on how the recipient felt at the time....would he shoot them ...or their dog....he drove to them, he could have ditched the gun before he got to them...but he made a show of it...that is intimidation....let the police and magistrate decide...perhaps he had form

The original poster said he didn't even see what was laid down in the grass. Someone in his party suggested later it might have been a gun. He did ditch the gun before he got to them, if indeed it was a gun. The couple with the dog didn't even mention the item.

By all means report the man if he has broken any laws but the police won't be the slightest but interested in a licensed gun owner using his gun in a legitimate manner.

I would be very wary of exercising a dog on private farmland if there are any sheep about as he could have shot their dog and it would be completely legal.

 

[Bouba]

The original poster said he didn't even see what was laid down in the grass. Someone in his party suggested later it might have been a gun. He did ditch the gun before he got to them, if indeed it was a gun.

By all means report the man if he has broken any laws but the police won't be the slightest but interested in a licensed gun owner using his gun in a legitimate manner.

Ok....let’s just say that my report to the police would be as aggressive as my wife would have felt he had been to her and her dog....

 

[KevinV]

I would be very wary of exercising a dog on private farmland if there are any sheep about as he could have shot their dog and it would be completely legal.

My understanding is that it's legal to shoot a dog that is worrying sheep - you can't just shoot a dog for being on your land that also has sheep on it.

Taking the gun out of the vehicle was an interesting move, probably designed to intimidate, but plausibly deniable.

 

[Bristolfashion]

Always carry minimal fishing gear ......

"There is however a clear right to access the foreshore for fishing purposes, as there is a “public right of navigation and of fishing in the sea and rights ancillary to it”. Fishermen, therefore, have much broader rights to the foreshore than swimmers and sandcastle builders."

The dog is there to retrieve caught fish - obviously!

If challenged over quotas, species etc, pick an obscure species - the law doesn't say access for successful fishing!

 

[Sandydog2]

My understanding is that it's legal to shoot a dog that is worrying sheep - you can't just shoot a dog for being on your land that also has sheep on it.

Taking the gun out of the vehicle was an interesting move, probably designed to intimidate, but plausibly deniable.

The dog doesn't have to be actually attacking sheep, if the farmer claims it was out of control and threatening livestock. Sheep are killed by stress as well as physical damage. UK farmers shoot on average one dog a week (5 year average from the most recent data I can find).

I am not in any way defending the aggressive landowner. If he has closed a footpath I hope that has been reported. But if he has livestock and a gun licence he is perfectly within his rights to get the gun out. I wouldn't risk a dog of mine in those circumstances.

 

[ProDave]

If he has blocked a public footpath I would certainly report him for that.

But not to the police, to your local ramblers group and try and get them to amass a group of walkers to go and exercise their right to use a public footpath. Warn them to take cameras and video anything that happens.

 

[KevinV]

The dog doesn't have to be actually attacking sheep, if the farmer claims it was out of control and threatening livestock.

Precisely why I used the term worrying. I have had sheep, dogs and guns. I have luckily never had to shoot a dog, but have entered a field with dog walkers with a broken, unloaded gun and an unamused expression. They got the message.

The tactic of visibly leaving the gun at the truck was neat, especially if he's ever been spoken to about threatening with a gun, which is of course (quite rightly) a big no no. That's not to say I agree with his behaviour.

 

[oldgit]

It was highly unlikely that the "item" taken out of the cab and deposited in the grass by the vehicle would have been visible to the chap and his companion landing on the foreshore, was only visible to those on the boats moored offshore.
Doubt that the actions of the chap were designed to intimidate but more likely the action of somebody trying to prevent matters getting out of hand later.
Do wonder if he has had to approach the sort of folks who take a less agreeable attitude when being asked to leave , knowing the area it would not suprise.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

If I were managing a site like that I'd get a cheap drone and fly it in front of any invaders. I'm sure that a drone hanging around would be enough to put most people orf so they didn't come back.

If they throw things at it then its ok it was a cheap drone.

Easier than using a human and if it is private land without public access you can presumably fly a drone there.