Troubled by travellers

TRAVELLERS are becoming a major problem for landowners in South Wealden, it emerged this week.

At a police consultation meeting on Tuesday, members of the public spoke up about the 'incredibly frustrating' issue and criticised the police for not doing more to help.

One local farmer said: 'If we get gypsies on our land and they destroy stuff, we have no comeback whatsoever.

'But if one of them slips over and breaks their neck on our land, we get prosecuted. This is nowhere near good enough.

'We all pay our rates and expect a certain service from the police, but I know very well that officers will not attend incidents if it's easier for them, and they know they can get away with it.'

Chief Inspector Grenville Wilson explained the sticky legal difficulties faced by police when dealing with travellers.

'We can only use our powers of arrest when people are trespassing,' he said. 'That means that the owner of the land must have asked them to move on first.

'Even then, we have human rights issues to face. If the travellers have children or pregnant woman among them, we may have to wait before taking any action.'

He added: 'I would, of course, refute the comment that we always take the easiest route. Every situation is looked at on its own merits, and we will take action where it's deemed necessary.'

Another member of public said: 'We're in a no-win situation. If the landowner is told to deal with the issue himself and he decides to take no action, then the district council moves in and prosecutes him for not prosecuting the travellers.'

Cllr Roy Martin, a keen supporter of the local farming community, said at the meeting: 'There is a strong argument for putting the balance of the law back in favour of landowners.

'A court order is not a cheap thing, so landowners usually end up having to pay quite heavy costs to remove travellers from their land even if they fail in their attempts.'