New Horsewatch group to combat crime in Scotland
Scotland’s three Horsewatch groups have decided to band together to offer a service for riders across the entire country.
The UK Horsewatch network, modelled on the successful Neighbourhood Watch scheme, was set up by police across the UK to fight equine-related crime. Members receive email updates on crime prevention and incidents in their areas.
The Strathclyde group — set up in October — was the third group to be set up in Scotland, following Perth and Kinross Horsewatch, set up in 2008 and Dumfries and Galloway earlier this year.
But now a Horsewatch Scotland group has been created to manage the information sent out across the whole of Scotland.
Horsewatch Scotland coordinator, Fiona Stuart, said: “It will ensure all members are being fed the same information and advice, and we will be sharing one website making it easier for our members to find us when they need help, advice or just want to check our latest appeals.”
“Equine crime is ever growing and involves organised crime groups, not just opportunist thieves. We now have the support of three of Scotland’s police forces — with more coming on board soon hopefully — and many other equestrian businesses.
And police in Powys, Wales, are trying to set up a Horsewatch scheme. They will appealing for help from the public to run the group in the new year.
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If you would like to volunteer, contact Pc Haydn Lavine on haydn.lavine@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk
The area contacts for Horsewatch in Scotland are:
Co-ordinator and Perth and Kinross — fiona.stuart@horsewatchscotland.info
Strathclyde — karen.beattie@strathclyde.pnn.police.uk
Grampian — david.paton@grampian.pnn.police.uk
Dumfries and Galloway — judith.Richardson@dg.pnn.police.uk
Fife — ian.laing@fife.pnn.police.uk
Tayside — donald.campbell@tayside.pnn.police.uk
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.