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Strengthening Police Powers to Tackle Unauthorised Encampments:Written statement - HCWS80
WS
Home Office
Made on: 04 November 2019
Made by: Priti Patel (Secretary of State for the Home Department)

HCWS80

Strengthening Police Powers to Tackle Unauthorised Encampments



Today am I announcing the Government’s plans to consult on criminalising the act of trespassing when setting up an unauthorised encampment in England and Wales. I recognise the distress and misery that some unauthorised encampments cause to many communities and businesses across the country. Currently, this kind of trespass is a civil matter and the powers available to the police are limited.

My predecessor, the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, announced to the House of Commons on 6 February that we would carry out a public consultation on amending the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to lower the criteria that must be met for the police to be able to direct people away from unauthorised sites. He also announced that the Home Office would conduct a review into how trespassing while setting up an unauthorised encampment could be made a criminal offence in England and Wales, learning lessons from other countries like the Republic of Ireland, where this is already a criminal offence.

I am announcing today that having considered the legislation in the Republic of Ireland, I would like to test the appetite to go further than the original proposals. I would like to broaden the existing categories of criminal trespass to cover trespassers on land who are there with the purpose of residing in their vehicle for any period, and to give the police the relevant powers to arrest offenders in situ and to seize any vehicles or other property on unauthorised encampments promptly.

Tomorrow, we will launch a public consultation on whether criminalising unauthorised encampments would be preferable to the amendments we originally proposed to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, and if so, how it should work. The consultation will be available tomorrow at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-police-powers-to-tackle-unauthorised-encampments and will be open for four months. A copy of the consultation will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

I thank Members for their continued engagement on this important issue.
This statement has also been made in the House of Lords: HLWS78



This is aimed at the Travelling Community, who invade our public spaces and schools, playing fields etc leaving Excrement and filth and rubbish for councils [ US ] to clear up and bear the cost of this , what is not to like about this bill? OK it may impact on us Wild campers but a small price to pay to stop this anti social way of life of the Travellers.?
 
Not a small price to pay if we wildcampers are seen as 'Travelling Community'. Yes, something must be done about the abuse shown by that group but I fear we will be tarred with the same brush. What exactly will be the difference in the eyes of the law between us and them?
Two years ago there were about a dozen Wilders parked up on the Minge Lane layby for the Upton Blues Festival, I suspect in the eyes of many we were just another bunch of freeloading Travellers.
 
Not a small price to pay if we wildcampers are seen as 'Travelling Community'. Yes, something must be done about the abuse shown by that group but I fear we will be tarred with the same brush. What exactly will be the difference in the eyes of the law between us and them?
Two years ago there were about a dozen Wilders parked up on the Minge Lane layby for the Upton Blues Festival, I suspect in the eyes of many we were just another bunch of freeloading Travellers.

You are making a very serious point. But... Minge Lane... :ROFLMAO:🤣🤣
 
Not a small price to pay if we wildcampers are seen as 'Travelling Community'. Yes, something must be done about the abuse shown by that group but I fear we will be tarred with the same brush. What exactly will be the difference in the eyes of the law between us and them?
Two years ago there were about a dozen Wilders parked up on the Minge Lane layby for the Upton Blues Festival, I suspect in the eyes of many we were just another bunch of freeloading Travellers.
Maybe, BUT did the local Council have to clean up after you, did you leave excrement and filth everywhere did your kids and dogs scare and intimidate locals and did you steal from local shops etc, of course you did not, that is where the difference lies ? reasonable Policing will prevail here as you are well aware. How many time have we seen height barriers go up at parking places, and we all say that it it due to the travellers invasion?
 
''reasonable policing'' this would normally mean the police appeasing the local voters who have complained. they won't care about van dwelling strangers from a different area . any new laws that curtail anybody's freedoms will end up being misused . and no ,i don't have a better answer,but i don't like this one
 
I'm still fairly certain that there are already several means of classifying trespass as criminal. From memory... If there are more than a certain number of vehicles, if the trespassers act in a threatening/intimidating manner, if they prevent the owner from using the land for a specific intended purpose.

I had to look them up not long ago because C&RT threatened to have me arrested for trespass.... For walking along the towpath (open to the public) in order to inspect a bridge, on behalf of the DfT. Nice bunch!!!
 
I understood the council sorted un authorized camping (for use of a better wording)
If this is now being passed to the police ,is this what the extra police Boris has said we are getting going to be used for?
Darn government......... I blame the two large motorhome and caravan clubs for blocking a uk aire system many years ago......
 
Not a small price to pay if we wildcampers are seen as 'Travelling Community'. Yes, something must be done about the abuse shown by that group but I fear we will be tarred with the same brush. What exactly will be the difference in the eyes of the law between us and them?
Two years ago there were about a dozen Wilders parked up on the Minge Lane layby for the Upton Blues Festival, I suspect in the eyes of many we were just another bunch of freeloading Travellers.

Naughty!, what were you doing down MINGE lane?
 
If my reading is correct dear Pritti is proposing that the police can suspect you are going to park up for the night and so confiscate your vehicle and arrest you. Sounds fair to me NOT.
You do know there is an election coming up ?
 
I'm against this change in the Law. it will mean no more documentaries like 'My big fat Gypsy Wedding', 'The secret lives of Gypsy kids' and all those similar heartwarming series. 😟

It might mean we have to watch boring old farts travelling around in Motorhomes and bitching to each other about trivial events. 🥺
 
What worries me is this line in her document: I would like to broaden the existing categories of criminal trespass to cover trespassers on land who are there with the purpose of residing in their vehicle for any period, and to give the police the relevant powers to arrest offenders in situ and to seize any vehicles or other property on unauthorised encampments promptly.
This could mean overnighters such as us or when we have done a long haul and pulled up at say 4pm to stop for the night to rest up. Could the boys in blue pop along and say excuse me your nicked under the new Priti Patel law oh by the way you need to book a cab to take you back home because your vehicle is being seized also. I think laybys etc will be safe for us but these may well be packed with the travellers after this is passed and also I park sometimes on little reservoirs etc these are more than likely owned by the local water authority so in theory I am tresspassing and this could affect me or am I over thinking it all and I should just get back to my normal flip a coin left or right destination today mode and let the more savy deal with the issue. A problem needs a solution of course and the lack of clearing up after some of the Travelling community not all I may add is an issue but is this the solution. I would be interested to know where the travelling community of Ireland park up and how well it works there for Wilders and yes I know there is a lot of Irish travellers over here but there must be some left in Ireland to see how it works :) .
 
Has anyone noticed that this proposed legislation would only apply to England and Wales? I doubt if the Travellers would move to Northern Ireland, so that means that Scotland would be their only refuge. Bad news for Scotland and possibly bad for motorhome tourists like us.
 
I understood the council sorted un authorized camping (for use of a better wording)
If this is now being passed to the police ,is this what the extra police Boris has said we are getting going to be used for?
Darn government......... I blame the two large motorhome and caravan clubs for blocking a uk aire system many years ago......
here here here or there there there ? cor rect ,slightly doggy, ok,pj
 
Not good for us I,m sure the Police will abuse this power the UK is getting to be more of a Police state every day

Very true.
I was threatened with having my vehicle seized as I had the temerity to accept arrest (an offer the police officer gave me) rather than providing my details when I was falsely accused of using my mobile phone whilst driving.
My vehicle was 100% legal & my partner was insured to drive it so I accepted his threat of arrest & asked my partner to drive the motorhome.
He then increased the threat to impounding our motorhome too; which would have left us responsible for the costs.
It was an absolute abuse of power on two people on holiday in their area; if they can do that to us they can, and will, do it to anybody.
 

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