The RSPCA has announced that it is to undertake an independent review of its prosecution work with the help of a former chief inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.
But it has denied that the move was triggered by criticism of its controversial decision to prosecute the Heythrop Hunt.
The review will look at the context in which the RSPCA works as a charity and how prosecution decisions are taken, as well as the conduct of criminal cases in meeting the standards of a reasonable, competent and objective prosecutor. The charity attracted heavy criticism from The Daily Telegraph after it chose to prosecute the Heythrop Hunt last December.
Ray Goodfellow, chief legal officer at the RSPCA, said: “The RSPCA has a very long history of investigating alleged cases of animal cruelty, bringing private prosecutions for animal welfare offences as part of its charitable mission.
“We strive to be a reasonable and fair-minded prosecutor and this independent review will provide an effective external measure of our performance and highlight any area of potential improvement.”
The review will be undertaken by Stephen Wooler CB and will begin early in the new year. Findings will be published later in the year when the review has been completed.
Wooler said: “I welcome this invitation. The public aspect of the RSPCA’s work is both substantial and important; the public depend heavily on it. I shall draw on my experience to identify strengths and weaknesses so as to present a clear picture of how effectively this work is being done; offer reassurance where appropriate and flag up where changes and improvement may be needed.”
Goodfellow added: “We are committed to providing accountability and transparency in this very important area of our work which we recognise has a considerable impact on people’s lives, as well as for the animals we seek to protect.”
The RSPCA’s prosecution policy was criticised after it decided to bring a £326,000 private prosecution for fox-hunting against the Heythrop Hunt in David Cameron’s Oxfordshire constituency last December.
An RSPCA spokesperson told civilsociety.co.uk that the review does not relate to any specific case and, instead, is looking broadly at its role as a private prosecutor.
The RSPCA lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission earlier this year following critical stories about the charity, arguing that they were “factually incorrect and politically motivated”. The PCC did not uphold the complaint.
A spokesperson from the Charity Commission said: “The Charity Commission welcomes the RSPCA’s announcement that it has commissioned an independent review of its prosecution work.”
