Editing Hunting Act 2004 (section)

==Penalties and enforcement==
A person guilty of an offence under this Act is liable on [[summary offence#United Kingdom|summary conviction]] to an unlimited fine at the discretion of judges. (The provisions of the law state a penalty not exceeding level 5 on the [[Standard scale#United Kingdom|standard scale]], however, level 5 currently has no upper limit).<ref>{{cite web|title=The Hunting Act 2004, section 6|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/37/section/6}}</ref>

Analysis published in 2015 by pro-hunting pressure group the [[Countryside Alliance]] of 2005-14 data from the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Justice]] shows that 378 people have been convicted of Hunting Act offences over that period, but only 24 of the offenders were involved with registered hunts. They therefore conclude that more than 94% of Hunting Act convicted offenders were not members of registered hunts but were involved in poaching or other casual hunting activities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.countryside-alliance.org/new-survey-shows-hunting-in-good-heart/ |publisher=Countryside Alliance |title=New survey shows hunting in good heart |date=17 December 2015 |access-date=1 February 2016}}</ref> Justice Minister [[Crispin Blunt]] said in a written answer to Parliament in June 2011 that "it is not possible to separately identify those specific cases proceeded against under the Hunting Act 2004 related to hunts recognised and regulated by the Council of Hunting Associations" since "statistical information available centrally does not include the circumstances of each case."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110607/text/110607w0006.htm#11060826003939|publisher=Hansard|title=Convictions: Hunting|access-date=17 November 2011}}</ref> In 2014, the number of successful convictions under the act had risen to 430.<ref name="Professionals">{{cite web|url=http://huntingact.org/?q=node/18|title=The hunting act: A website for enforcement professionals|access-date=24 December 2015}}</ref>

Animal welfare groups such as the [[RSPCA]], [[IFAW]] and the [[League Against Cruel Sports]] monitor some hunts, which they believe may be breaking the law. Small, local groups of [[Hunt Monitors]], made up of independent, private individuals, also engage in regular hunt monitoring.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/309421.html |publisher=Horse and Hound |title=RSPCA to prosecute Heythrop huntsman |access-date=17 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803213306/http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/309421.html |archive-date=3 August 2012}}</ref> In 2011 the League Against Cruel Sports complained that "On several occasions over the last few years, we have provided what we believed to be good evidence to Devon & Cornwall Police, but the police haven't even moved from the starting blocks by interviewing suspects. Some cases have run out of time and sometimes the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decide to take no action."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/we'll-provide-evidence-hunts-breaking-law/story-13712389-detail/story.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505083634/http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/we'll-provide-evidence-hunts-breaking-law/story-13712389-detail/story.html|archive-date=5 May 2013|newspaper=Western Morning News|title=We'll provide evidence to show some hunts are breaking the law|access-date=17 November 2011}}</ref>

[[Law enforcement in the United Kingdom|Police forces]] have said, on a number of occasions, that enforcement of the Hunting Act 2004 like much wildlife crime is a low priority for them, although they say that they will enforce the law. However, the Police's UK [[National Wildlife Crime Unit]] has said that policing of hunting should be a priority for forces in some areas of the country, most notably the South West.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.league.org.uk/uploads/media/17/8505.pdf |publisher=League Against Cruel Sports |title=Report: The 2010/2011 Hunting Season |date=18 May 2011 |access-date=17 November 2011 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>