Two men summoned to Court for illegal metal detecting

Dean Martin Bunce, 39, of Moorlands, Chippenham and Thomas Cole, 25, of Castle Road, Salisbury have been summoned to appear to appear before Swindon Magistrates Court on 21 December 2022.

The two were arrested on 21 July on suspicion of metal detecting on the protected scheduled monument of Cunetio, the ancient Roman town near to Mildenhall, in contravention of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

Bunce has been summoned that without lawful excuse he destroyed or damaged a protected monument, namely Roman Town Cunetio, knowing that it was a protected monument and intending to destroy or damage the monument or being reckless as to whether the monument would be destroyed or damaged, contrary to section 28 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

Cole has been summoned that he used a metal detector within the scheduled area of the boundary of the Roman Town Cunetio without the written consent of the Commission, Contrary to section 42(1) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.