acts of vandalism what rights do we have?

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sparclay

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A public footpath/bridlepath runs through the livery yard i keep my horses at and someone keeps deliberately opening gates and letting horses out. This has happened three times in the last month. If the horses got onto a public road and caused an accident/ damage the livery yard would be liable. Apart from locking all gates and buying keys for about ten liveries who regularly use the gates what can we do. This is obviously someone with a grudge as they let two ponies out of a barn this morning, legal advice would be useful please!!
BTW I new to forums so bear with me lol
thanks
 
Contact your local police - they may not deal with civil trespass but this is anti social behaviour.

Chains and coded padlocks, movement detector lights, big signs on the gates are all options
 
Yep - Lock it !
grin.gif
 
If the gate is accross the footpath you might not be able to lock it! You can't lawfully prevent access to a footpath. You might need to lock the gate and provide a stile or kissing gate or something for access.

If you do have to lock it, codes are easier than keys. But if you can also weld the chain to the gate and the padlock to one section of chain - or you'll loose both padlock and chain to the mud - if not to your vandal. You might also like to speak to the police and get it on record. At least that way if something does happen they will have a starting point as to who the horses belong to. Also perhaps fake CCTV signs and fake cameras. Might put them off for a bit if they think they'll get caught.

Ohh - second though... electric fencing?
 
why not keep the keys in the presumably locked tackroom.That way people can pick up the keys as needed to use them and the horses will stay secure. The YO does have a duty of care to ensure that the gates are secure and that the horses couldn't get out onto a public road.Should an accident happen the YO will be liable,but should your horses do any damage while they are out on the road it is actually the responsiblity of the horse owner and not the YO,so in other words the YO would be liable for the horses having got out as they have not secured the gates but the owners will be liable if a car gets kicked or a person gets hurt.I only know this due to the horses at my old livery yard having got out a couple of months ago after someone cut the fencing releasing them onto the road.2 Cars were badly damaged,the police said thtat unless they could prove which horses had damaged the cars there was nothing the car owners could do as the horses were out due to an attempted theft,but had they broken through the fencing then the YO would have been liable as he is responsible for ensuring the boundary fencing is secure.
 
Another possible solution would be for the yard owner to use the evidence of horses being let out as grounds for an application to divert the footpath around the yard. This is a long process an not easy but may provide a longer term solution.
 
I would speak to your local council - they may be able to install the spring gates that shut automatically if you know what i mean? I would also def speak to your local police - at least make them aware.

Good luck - hope you get it sorted
 
People near us bought a farm, diverted the footpath around the edges of the field and put up keep dogs on a lead and no fouling, they didn't get permission, all they had to do to keep the council happy was put styles where the fence blocked the path, if people dont want to go around the field (which they allready did illegally anyway) they just have to clamber over the the syles, no gates to leave open.
Also the cinder track which has been used for well over 20 years got flattened to build a retail park and car showrooms, all they did was do a diversion, no by nor leave, council rights of way dont give a stuff, seems if you have enough money you can do what you want, if it was me I would lock the bloody gates and leave them a pair of steps chained to the gate, bloody morons, if it's anything like where we are you may as well please yourself, nobody of any authority here if anyone actually has any seems to give a stuff.
 
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