The police have powers to remove any gypsies or travellers. and have power to direct people to leave the land and remove any vehicles or property they have with them if they believe:-
1. That trespassing is occurring
2. The trespassers have between them at least one vehicle on the land
3. The trespassers are living on the land
4. There is more than one caravan and there are suitable caravan sites available
The legal occupier of the land does not have to prove that he has taken reasonable steps to ask them to leave, and there is no need for a written notice to be served. It is an offence for the travellers to fail to leave the land or enter any land in the local authority area as a trespasser within three months and with the intention of residing there. If they do, the penalties are imprisonment of up to three months, a fine or both.
The Law
The Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003 empowers the police to move on travellers without a warning being issued by the landowner as long as they have reasonable belief that trespassing is taking place.
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