Charity watchdog to meet RSPCA over Heythrop prosecution (From Cotswold Journal)
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Charity watchdog to meet RSPCA over Heythrop prosecution
12:20pm Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News By Freya Leng
Julian Barnfield and Richard Sumner at Oxford Magistrates Court last month
SENIOR figures at the RSPCA are to meet with the charity watchdog over their decision to spend £326,000 on the prosecution of Prime Minister David Cameron’s local hunt.
The charity said it had been reported to the charity commission by “representatives of the campaign to bring back bloodsports” who have raised a number of issues in relation to its approach to prosecutions.
The Heythrop Hunt, Julian Barnfield and Richard Sumner admitted 12 charges of unlawful hunting with dogs at Oxford Magistrates’ Court last month.
Sarah Hitchings, spokesman for the Charity Commission, said: "We can confirm Commission staff members will be meeting the charity next week.
“The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the charity's approach to prosecutions. Decisions as to whether to bring prosecutions are for trustees of charities to make, and they would not normally be a regulatory matter for the Commission.
“So I would stress that we are not investigating the charity, nor do we have regulatory concerns about the charity at this point.”
