Letter: Why Are the Police Doing Nothing About These Traveller Incursions?

Published on: 26 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 26 Aug, 2017

Police officers talking to Cllr Nicholls before breathalysing him.

From L Wyatt

In response to: Parish Councillor Arrested Following Incident at Traveller Encampment and related stories

Travellers illegally break into playing fields and the Surrey Police stand around and do nothing.

Local councillor Lib-Dem Liz Hogger tells us how spiffing things are and how jolly it is and that the Travellers just needed to understand the fields are not really for them to camp in as if they actually needed telling. The last thing Liz wants to do is upset the illegally camped travellers, no sir.

It is this weak-minded and naive approach that means we can expect far more of these incursions on this wonderful local facility. After all, Cllr Hogger will be down there for a chat and a cuppa straight away.

Perhaps a little ‘heated’ conversation with these illegally camped travellers on behalf of local residents she is supposed to be representing might have helped them understand they are not welcome on these playing fields?

What a pathetic response from Surrey Police and the authorities, once again.

These illegally camped travellers will be back again and again to the playing fields because the resistance from the authorities is feeble.

Why are Surrey Police not dealing with the illegally camped travellers? Instead, as usual, they take the easy option and arrest any opposition to an illegal incursion.

It is an open invitation to all groups of Travellers to come to the King George V playing fields and park up illegally. They will not be moved on and any opposition to them will be stopped by Surrey Police.

Responses to Letter: Why Are the Police Doing Nothing About These Traveller Incursions?

Nyree Lowndes Reply

August 26, 2017 at 6:55 pm

My understanding is that trespass is a civil offence – action against the trespassers can only be taken on production of a court order and after due process. That’s why so many traveller invasions take place late on a Friday afternoon, when they know the courts are closed for the weekend and they can stay there without opposition.

If, as in Ireland, the law were to be changed to make trespass a criminal offence, the police would have the power to arrest the trespassers and make them move on immediately, without having to wait for a court order. This would also get around any wet response from local councillors – a criminal offence is an offence and they would have no power to change or stop it!
Martin Elliott Reply

August 26, 2017 at 7:18 pm

Hasn’t Runnymede tried a new proactive approach?

I believe they obtained a High Court Injunction for all their land. So an incursion would be a criminal offence by those named or anybody else.

We have many other draconian laws recently introduced to deal with antisocial behaviour, eg the drug “menace” and even flytipping. I’m surprised other councils haven’t been a bit more inventive in using the powers and law available.
Ian Anderson Reply

August 29, 2017 at 8:19 am

As the above commenter states, police cannot arrest for civil trespass. The gentleman objecting to the traveller incursion was arrested on suspicion of driving while above the legal limit for alcohol consumption. If proven, he was endangering the lives of others. I’d rather police were dealing with that than than worrying about a few caravans in the corner of a large field.