The representatives of probably the most law-abiding segment of the population, the federated coven of conservationist bird killers, have successfully piloted what is generally referred to as a "challenge" against the police.

From my limited knowledge of criminal law, this involves making an application to the Magistrates' Court, premising that the cops, perhaps being too busy rendering catering services to their minister, have failed to prosecute some wrong-doer or other, and asking the Court to order the gents in blue to do their duty.

What caused the bird-killers to rise up to their full and imposing height and invoke the majesty of the law was a picture of anti-hunting activists with, in their possession, birds of a protected breed.  According to the people whose members have never, ever, not in a million years, shot, trapped or otherwise been responsible for protected birds being treated not in compliance with the law, their nemeses were quite clearly criminals who deserved to be clapped in irons for the rest of their days.

Not to put too fine a point on it, what hypocritical twaddle.  

I'm not up to speed on criminal law, by a long shot, but I suspect that the Magistrate concerned might have knotted himself up a tad in the letter rather than the spirit of the law, resulting in him finding that he had no option but to order the Police to investigate and, if they found grounds to do so, prosecute.  

It may well be that another Magistrate, on another day, (or the same one, on another day, for that matter) might have invited the applicants to do with their application what the monkey does with the nuts, rather than using the law - and public resources - for ridiculous purposes.

It is to be devoutly hoped that when - more precisely, if - the cops find grounds to prosecute, the Court will let it be known exactly what it thinks about this sort of farce.

Just to add some spice to the debate, however, allow me by means of this blog to challenge the Police to prosecute the President's driver for parking her car on a double yellow line and leaving it there, in full view of a couple of cops.