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Warning: detecting in Belgium!

Article about: A dealer here in Wales had a lot of his stock confiscated after a guy sold him some items taken illegaly off an army range. Again it was up to the dealer to prove that any items which he had

  1. #1

    Default Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    Sorry for the poor google translation, but found this article in the newspapers.

    Tournai - Three Dutch are Tuesday condemned by the correctional court of Tournai to a suspended sentence of three months for the illegal export of archaeological research in Belgium. In the Netherlands, these trials allowed.

    Dennis V., 33, Robertus K, 34, and Cornelius V, 33, resident in all three ******* (Netherlands), were summoned to appear as perpetrators of research and archaeological excavations are undertaken without prior consent by obtained from the Walloon government.

    The three defendants were sentenced Tuesday to three months suspended prison sentence of three years.
    It is difficult to understand for European residents to accept such penalty, despite the minimum, if such acts are not punishable in the Netherlands.

    In August 2008, after excavations on the battlefield of Ypres, where they are a British bullet and shrapnel have been found, these lovers of World war I in the region of Komen-Warneton. After inspecting the vehicle, the police seized a metal detector and found the two items.

    The three men were Interpellated because excavations at a historic site without permission is prohibited. For these facts, the prosecutor demanded three months' imprisonment. Based on a simple debt statement (confession), the lawyer for the three defendants argued for a suspended sentence.


    So come on down, the three suspects in the course of these three years have a conviction for such offenses up, they suspended sentence of three months to serve.
    Presumably, the metal detector and finds two confiscated (they do not get it back).
    Last edited by Feuerbach; 10-08-2010 at 12:21 AM.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    Thanks for this Feuerbach. An interesting story and one to remind us of the need to stay above the law when relic hunting !

    Steve T

  3. #3
    ?

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    Good advice let those who dig without permission and outside the law beware !!
    The gates of hell were opened and we accepted the invitation to enter" 26/880 Lance Sgt, Edward Dyke. 26th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers , ( 3rd Tyneside Irish )

    1st July 1916

    Thought shall be the harder , heart the keener,
    Courage the greater as our strength faileth.
    Here lies our leader ,in the dust of his greatness.
    Who leaves him now , be damned forever.
    We who are old now shall not leave this Battle,
    But lie at his feet , in the dust with our leader

    House Carles at the Battle of Hastings

  4. #4

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    Still 3 months! For one cartridge and a bit of shrapnel! Even digging outside of the law should have some common sense in the courts! If this was there first offense its a very harsh punishment!

    Mouse

  5. #5
    ?

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    Three months suspended for three years, which in fact is very possible in our courts as well for similar offences, i know a young guy who got two months suspended for 6months for digging and metal detecting on council land without permission and that wasnt a restricted site nor battlefield, some trespass sentences can be higher than criminal offences when taken to court, which is really ridiculous, but it does depend on the judge and the amount of pressure applied by the prosecution and the complainant

  6. #6

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    And it will get worse.
    There is a national law in the making. That it might take another year or 2 before it will get voted, is the only good news.
    Before that there were police bylaws depending on the province you were in, but it is common knowledge amongst diggers here, that public or registerd historical sites are a no-go.
    All thanks to the belgian archeological community and blackdiggers, who are making our hobby almost illegal and impossible.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    A friend of mine and another buddy were up in Belgium and were unaware of the laws there. The police showed up and luckily they only confiscated their detectors. No jail time.

  8. #8
    mpw
    mpw is offline
    ?

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    Yes be careful indeed. Always gain permission before detecting. Here in the UK not only will the police seize your detector and finds on site but they can also confiscate part or all of your collection if they suspect it was accumulated illegally.

    Mark.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    Quote by mpw View Post
    Yes be careful indeed. Always gain permission before detecting. Here in the UK not only will the police seize your detector and finds on site but they can also confiscate part or all of your collection if they suspect it was accumulated illegally.

    Mark.
    That's news to me Mark. I've never heard of that happening before in the UK.

  10. #10
    mpw
    mpw is offline
    ?

    Default Re: Warning: detecting in Belgium!

    It happened to a guy I knew who was caught night digging illegally in a sea wall defense for victorian bottles (silly lad). Police confiscated the finds on site and took the best part of his collection. Went to court and he was fined on top. It was down to him to prove his collection hadn't been found on the illegal site, which of course he couldn't. This was back in the 1980's.

    Mark.

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