Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to ensure Travellers who trespass on property pay for any criminal damages and limit the expense incurred to innocent parties.

Causing criminal damage to property is a criminal offence. The court must consider making a compensation order under section 130 of the Powers of the Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 in any case where personal injury, loss or damage has resulted from the offence. It is an operational matter for the police, following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, to decide whether or not an offence reaches the threshold required for prosecution under the relevant legislation.

Property owners may also bring private legal proceedings to recover an award of damages for damage caused to their property by trespassers. It is for individual property owners to decide whether to take legal action of this kind.