In an update provided on 15 April 2026, Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed that after a lengthy investigation, the CPS concluded no prosecution will follow the incident of the eggs at St Albans Cathedral being destroyed last year.

The BBC reported that a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said: "Our prosecutors worked with police to establish the circumstances and, after carefully reviewing the evidence, we determined that it did not meet our legal test and no further action will be taken." 

In the same article, the BBC quoted a spokesperson from Hertfordshire Constabulary, who said: "We recognise the strength of feeling surrounding this incident, particularly given the protected status of Peregrine Falcons, and understand the disappointment this decision may cause. 

"However, charging decisions are made independently by the CPS and are based on strict legal tests."

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides comprehensive legal protection for all wild birds in Great Britain, including their nests eggs. Additional protections are in place for Schedule 1 Species, including the Peregrine Falcon. For these species, it is illegal to intentionally or recklessly disturb them whilst nest building, at a nest containing eggs or young, or disturb their dependent young. These legal protections have been instrumental in the recovery of Peregrine Falcon numbers, which fell to critical levels in the 1960s but which have slowly increased to a point where the national breeding population is now considered to be in excess of 1,700 pairs.

Tim Hill, Conservation Manager at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust said,

“The Peregrine Falcon is a shining example of nature’s resilience—having rebounded from the brink of extinction, thanks to pesticide bans, legal protections and their remarkable ability to adapt and thrive in our cities, nesting on tall structures like cathedrals that mimic their natural cliff-side habitats and taking advantage of abundant prey. Their comeback is widely hailed as a conservation success story. With a backdrop of an acknowledged nature crisis, we need to continue to highlight the importance of safeguarding nature - not just in wild spaces, but where it coexists with us.”

The pair of Peregrine Falcons at St Albans Cathedral have captured the public’s interest since their first chick hatched in 2022, and this year, laid eggs for the fifth successive year. In 2025, the provision of the webcam on their nest tray generated over half a million views to the Cathedral webpage. Peregrine Falcons normally mate for life and often remain loyal to their nest site each year so the Cathedral is now an established breeding ground. 

A powerful bird of prey with blue/grey plumage, a white face and a contrasting black moustache, the Peregrine Falcon is extremely quick and agile. It holds the record for being not only the fastest bird in the world, but also the fastest member of the animal kingdom with a diving speed in excess of 200 miles per hour.