Bradford's dedicated wildlife policeman is helping to launch a national task force aimed at tackling environmental crime.

PC Steve Downing, one of five full-time wildlife liaison officers in the country, has also led a successful campaign for stiffer sentences against those involved in everything from persecuting birds to smuggling rare breeds.

The West Yorkshire wildlife liaison officer yesterday attended a special seminar where the Government's Environment Minister Michael Meacher unveiled a package of measures to protect precious animals.

This included the setting up of a National Wildlife Crime Unit which will be launched later this year. Its enforcers will tackle organised wildlife crime at every level.

PC Downing welcomed the move and revealed he would be consulted over the group's formation.

Among the wildlife crimes currently committed in West Yorkshire are the persecution and theft of birds of prey and their eggs. There have also been a number of thefts of rare parrots, he added.

PC Downing is a member of the 60-group strong Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime which held its annual seminar at London Zoo.

At the conference, Mr Meacher also announced tougher penalties for persistent wildlife offenders. Proposed new laws will boost the powers of the police and courts and extend the Wildlife and Countryside Act to include prison sentences.

"There is a hardened group of criminals who know that under the current law, they will only face fines if they are caught," said PC Downing.

He added: "If there is the threat of a jail sentence hanging over them, it might make them think first."

And he said: "The new unit will help tackle wildlife crime across force borders and this help things in West Yorkshire."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.