I'd never heard of this until a few months ago but the recent collapse of the LACS case brought it into sharp focus again. Basically, confirmation bias is where a person continues to believe something even in the face of overwhelming evidence against.
I won't bore you with case details but, despite advice from Police, LACS pressed on with the case calling their 'expert' witness, Professor Stephen Harris, discredited more than once. In this case 'conflict of interest' rendered him not credible. Huge cost to LACS, around £100k, from donations and taxpayer funds for an unwinnable case.
Closer to home the RSPCA are also guilty of confirmation bias having lost several high-profile cases at huge cost. So, for the record, the RSPCA have no rights over and above those of ordinary citizens. They have no right of entry to your property, nor can they demand to see your pet. They do have a talent for wasting donations and tax-payer funds. They are not a 'Prosecuting Authority'.
Source: Counsel for the Defence.
I won't bore you with case details but, despite advice from Police, LACS pressed on with the case calling their 'expert' witness, Professor Stephen Harris, discredited more than once. In this case 'conflict of interest' rendered him not credible. Huge cost to LACS, around £100k, from donations and taxpayer funds for an unwinnable case.
Closer to home the RSPCA are also guilty of confirmation bias having lost several high-profile cases at huge cost. So, for the record, the RSPCA have no rights over and above those of ordinary citizens. They have no right of entry to your property, nor can they demand to see your pet. They do have a talent for wasting donations and tax-payer funds. They are not a 'Prosecuting Authority'.
Source: Counsel for the Defence.
