The case was heard at Swindon Magistrates Court on 3 May 2022, when Mr Reid, 47, of Westfield Road, Yeovil, pleaded guilty to 3 offences:

• fishing without a licence
• leaving fishing rods unattended
• failing to provide correct name and address when required

On 1 December 2021, while on patrol at Coking Farm fishery near Henstridge in south Somerset, fisheries officers discovered Mr Reid fishing illegally.

He failed to produce a rod licence when asked and refused to provide his name and address.  He was also found not be in control of his rod and line, as they had been left unattended with bait and hook in the water.

Following the verdict, James Allan, Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officer, said:

Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, benefitting anglers and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute. We are able to check offenders’ details, so giving false information is not an easy route out of failing to comply.

This angler blatantly disregarded signs at the fishery that said an Environment Agency rod licence was needed to fish.  As part of Operation Clampdown signs had been put at the entrance to the fishery and on each fishing peg.

Anglers must be control of their rod and line at all times whilst fishing – it is illegal to leave them unattended with bait or hook in the water.

Rod fishing byelaws are there to protect fish stocks and their habitats. If you do not comply with these byelaws you could face prosecution and be fined up to £50,000.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence. A 1-day licence costs from just £6 and an annual licence costs from just £30 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 – 16-year-olds. Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.

Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The charges

On 1 December, at Coking Farm, Henstridge, in a place where fishing is regulated, Mr Reid fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line.  Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

On 1 December, at Coking Farm, Henstridge, Mr Reid left a rod and line with its bait or hook in the water unattended or so that he was unable at any time to take or exercise sufficient control over said rod and line.  Contrary to Byelaw 10 of the Environment Agency National Byelaws which came into force on 27 May 2001 made pursuant to Section 210 and Schedule 25 of the Water Resources Act 1991 and Contrary to Section 211 of the said Act.

On 1 December, at Coking Farm, Henstridge, Mr Reid when fishing/being reasonably suspected of intending to fish/being reasonably suspected of having recently fished, failed, when required to do so, to state his name and address to a water bailiff/a constable/an officer of the Environment Agency having power to make such a request contrary to Section 35(3) of and Schedule 4 to the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

The UK government is today (Monday, 9 May) launching a consultation on a proposed expansion of its Warm Home Discount scheme. Proposals are for support in Scotland to grow by around £13 million, to £49 million per year.

The uplift would mean rebates are provided to an additional 50,000 families in Scotland each year on top of the 230,000 that already receive payments and boost cash paid out to help meet energy costs from £140 to £150.

The consultation would also see the scheme extended to 2025 to 2026, providing much needed certainty to those most in need.

Proposals for supplier participation thresholds would also be lowered, enabling more energy suppliers to participate, particularly from 2023 to 2024 onwards, mirroring how the Warm Home Discount scheme operates in England and Wales.

The Warm Home Discount in Scotland will continue to focus support on those in receipt of means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit and Pension Credits, which ensures that rebates go to those on the lowest incomes.

Energy suppliers can use additional eligibility criteria, as long as the criteria identify households at risk of fuel poverty, subject to approval from Ofgem.

The Warm Home Discount supports low income and vulnerable households across Great Britain with the cost of living and is in addition to a £22 billion package of support, including a £200 energy bill discount from October.

UK government Business and Energy Minister Lord Callanan said:

We recognise the pressures that people living in Scotland are facing with the cost of living. That is why we are expanding the Warm Home Discount and increasing the amount households receive so those most in need are supported to heat their homes.

The discount is just one measure we are taking to help tackle rising energy costs. Our energy price cap continues to protect households from volatile gas markets, and later this year families will get £200 off their energy bills, while we have already provided £290 million to fund Council Tax rebates in Scotland.

UK government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

We are acutely aware of how many Scots are worried about the rising cost of living and, where we can help, we are doing just that.

Rebates of £150 through the Warm Home Discount will help to directly address the issue of fuel poverty for a quarter of a million Scottish households.

We are facing global challenges, but measures such as these, and our far-reaching £22 billion package of action in 2022 to 2023, will ensure that more people can keep more of their money in their pockets.

Households in Scotland are also benefiting from an additional £296 million of support for the cost of living, including help for high energy costs and a record block grant of £41 billion per year for the next 3 years announced at the Spending Review for the Scottish Government – the largest since devolution.

We are providing an average of £1,000 more per year back into the pockets of working families on Universal Credit and increasing the minimum wage by 6.6%, which will give a full-time worker on the National Living Wage more than £1,000 extra each year. The scheme will continue to support low-income pensioners and other low income and vulnerable households with their energy costs.

• the Warm Home Discount scheme is a key policy in the government’s strategy to tackling fuel poverty and reducing the energy costs of low-income and vulnerable households
• read the details of eligibility for the Warm Home Discount on GOV.UK
• the scheme began in 2011 and since then has provided over £3 billion in direct support to households
• the Warm Home Discount Scotland consultation follows commitments made in the Energy White Paper to extend the scheme until 2025 to 2026 and expand it to support more households in fuel poverty
• the energy price cap has shielded millions of customers from price volatility in wholesale markets and ensured they pay a fair price for their energy. Despite the rising costs of wholesale energy which precipitated the failure of several energy suppliers, Ofgem have kept the cap at the level set in October 2021 over this winter

• 113 charities have benefitted from £5.4 million to prevent suicide in high-risk groups, including people from Black communities and men
• Demand for services has increased during the pandemic and funds have bolstered services including therapy, stigma-busting workshops and helplines
• Government will publish a Suicide Prevention Plan later this year to outline further support for those in need

The government has announced the charities that have received a share of £5.4million, to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a crisis. This follows increased demand for services, met by the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector during the pandemic.

Marking the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week the government has announced that, following an open and competitive application process, 113 charities were awarded a share of the VCSE suicide prevention grant fund.

This funding, which was distributed and used earlier this year, enabled recipients to either set up new projects, or expand or sustain current services to ensure people are supported – including funding projects retrospectively. Funded projects included providing additional capacity in crisis helplines, both for those struggling with suicidal thoughts and for those who are concerned about a loved one, providing signposting to local services, support and information, refreshing campaigns to provide targeted support to specific at-risk groups, therapy sessions and supporting families who have tragically been bereaved by suicide.

These voluntary and community services are vital for supporting individuals in the community, ensuring they receive the help they need, whilst also allowing health services to continue tackling the Covid backlog.

In 2021, there were over 5,000 suicides registered in England. In both men and women, around 40% of suicides are by people in their 40s and 50s, whilst men aged 45 to 49 have the highest rate.

Whilst this additional funding is already helping communities, the government is committed to doing all it can to prevent deaths by suicide. Later this year, it will publish a new Suicide Prevention Plan that will set out actions and commitments to do so.

To support the development of this plan, the department has opened a 12-week call for evidence which is running until 7 July, to help inform both the new 10-year Mental Health Plan and the new National Suicide Prevention Plan. It is seeking views from the public, as well as the sector, on what can be improved within the current service, and what more can be done to prevent suicides – particularly in light of the pandemic which has led to record levels of people seeking treatment and accessing support.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said:

I know how devastating suicide can be and I am committed to making sure the NHS and voluntary sector services have the support they need.

We know many more people have been asking for help with their mental health over the last two years and we’re publishing a Suicide Prevention Plan later this year to outline further support for those in need.

If you’re struggling, please reach out for support – we’re here to help.

Minister for Mental Health, Gillian Keegan, said:

The suicide prevention voluntary sector has played a crucial role in providing people with the help and support they need throughout the pandemic and I thank them for all they do.

Suicides are preventable tragedies when the right support and help is in place. I’m committed to continuing to support the sector and to do all we can to ensure people have the help they need.

This Mental Health Awareness Week, I want to be clear that there is support for those struggling – and if you need help, I encourage you to reach out.

The £5.4million of funding has been awarded to a wide range of organisations, including small community groups which play a vital role in responding to local needs, ensuring communities up and down the country can access suicide prevention support.

The support has predominantly been targeted at high-risk groups who may have struggled the most during the pandemic, such as people with a pre-existing mental illness, children and young people, and those from groups considered to be at higher risk of self-harm and suicide, such as people from Black communities, men, and people who are economically vulnerable.

The charities who’ve been awarded funding include:

• James’ Place Charity, who’ve been awarded £283,968 and provide innovative, free, suicide prevention therapy to men over the age of 18 in Merseyside who are in suicidal crisis.
• Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN), who’ve been awarded £41,599 and address the wider social determinants to reduce health inequalities for people from Caribbean & African communities, tackle taboos around suicide in black communities, raising awareness though workshops and campaigns as well as running virtual chat and support sessions for young people.
• Chasing the Stigma, who’ve been awarded £51,918 and provide the Hub of Hope, a mental health signposting tool accessed by over 22,000 people per month
• Papyrus, who’ve been awarded £151,815 and provide confidential support and advice specifically to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person. This support is provided through their HOPELINEUK.

Ellen O’Donoghue, Chief Executive Officer at James’ Place said:

At James’ Place, our professional therapists work with men in suicidal crisis who have an active plan to end their lives or who have recently made an attempt. The DHSC’s Suicide Prevention Fund has made a huge difference to the men we supported at our Liverpool centre in 2021 and 2022. We are now focussing on expanding our provision further, opening our second centre in London and three more beyond that, so that we can reach more men and help them to find hope for the future.

Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Chief Officer of the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) said:

Suicides occurs in all communities although it is not a topic openly spoken about in ethnic communities often due to stigma, shame, cultural and religious issues. It is important that we combat the threat of increasing suicide in the Black community while encouraging people to seek help at the earliest opportunity.

The funding will enable us increase understanding and knowledge of practical suicide prevention techniques via different platforms helping people to spot the early signs and act appropriately. CAHN is committed to helping the Caribbean & African community tackle suicide. Our helpline (07710 022382) is open 9am to 9pm every day for those who need someone to talk to, feeling down or struggling.

Jake Mills, Chief Executive at Chasing the Stigma said:

The grant of £51,918 received from the DHSC’s VCSE Suicide Prevention Grant Fund felt like a real lifeline for us at Chasing the Stigma in what was a year of unprecedented demand for our services. As a result of the pandemic, our Hub of Hope, the UK’s biggest and most comprehensive mental health signposting tool, witnessed an exceptional increase in demand from people looking for help and support across the UK. Although encouraging that more people were seeking and finding support, the significant pressure on our services came with its own challenges, including rising costs for maintaining and sustaining the platform. A challenge which has been made easier as a result of this grant.

Chasing the Stigma is a national mental health charity with lived experience at the very core of all we do, which is why we are pleased to see the announcement of a new suicide prevention strategy in England. We are eager to engage in any plans as a voice of those who have lived through the pain of suicide and suicidal ideation. We fundamentally believe that the experiences of people should play a vital role in any new initiatives to reduce suicide and we are committed to represent those voices wherever we can.

Ged Flynn, Chief Executive at Papyrus said:

PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide was pleased to receive a grant of £151,815 from DHSC’s VCSE Suicide Prevention Grant Fund. The grant has helped to offset some of the rising costs of our vital HOPELINEUK service which offers professional advice to young people experiencing thoughts of suicide, and to those who are concerned about them. The service met hugely increased demand during the first two years of the Coronavirus pandemic.

As a national charity, we welcome the announcement that there is to be a new suicide prevention strategy in England. We are keen to see the voice of young people at the heart of that initiative. After all, suicide remains the leading cause of death in those aged under 35. That’s why strategic cross-Government and cross-society effort is so important. PAPYRUS continues to do all it can to work with others, and especially with young people themselves, to help save young lives.

This fund is on top of £10.2 million already given to mental health charities over the course of the pandemic, and will support suicide prevention organisations to continue to provide support to all those who need it.

More widely, the Mental Health Recovery Action Plan, backed by £500 million, has ensured the right support is being offered to people with a variety of mental health conditions who have been impacted most by the pandemic.

Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event which provides an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. This year, the aim is to raise awareness of the impact of loneliness on people’s mental wellbeing and the practical steps which can be taken to address it.

Notes to editors

• The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has made available £5.4 million for a grant fund to support suicide prevention voluntary community and social enterprise organisations across 2021/22. A portion of the grant fund was ring-fenced specifically to help support small community-led and user-led groups and organisations.
• Following an open tender process, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) were selected to administer the grant fund on DHSC’s behalf.
• Applications were open from 2 December 2021 to 16 January 2022 for grants from the £5.4 million fund.
• Applications which passed eligibility and due diligence checks were reviewed by an independent expert panel which included people with lived experience.
• Following the panel, 113 organisations have been awarded funding. A full list is available here
• Last year, the government published the latest progress report against the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, which included a refreshed cross-government suicide prevention workplan to reduce suicides as far as possible