Chris Packham’s anti-shooting group Wild Justice is celebrating approval of its request for a judicial review into the release of gamebirds on nature conservation sites.
According to a post by Mark Avery on the group’s blog, the court hearing will be held before the end of October.
“If we were to be successful then this would have big impacts on pheasant and red-legged partridge shooting in 2021,” Avery chirped.
Wild Justice lawyer Carol Day said: “In granting permission for judicial review and ordering a hearing before the end of October, the judge has clearly recognised the importance and urgency of this case.”
In April, Defra asked the court to refuse the group’s request, describing it as “vexatious” and “pointless” and asked to be awarded its costs. In a joint statement, BASC, Countryside Alliance, the Game Farmers’ Association and the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation said a review is “misdirected in terms of the law and serves no purpose”.
