Charges made under ancient animal laws

TWO people from south Wales have been charged with breaking a 179-year-old animal welfare law.

Police were called to Great Barrington in the Cotswolds three months ago after members of the public reported hare coursing and two arrests were made.

A 25-year-old from South Glamorgan and a 21-year-old from Gwent have now been charged with offences under the Game Act of 1831.

They are accused of daytime trespass in pursuit of poaching and have been bailed to appear at Stroud Magistrates’ Court on August 25.

PC Jon Palfrey, from the rural policing team at Gloucestershire police said; “This is an example of how the community and police work together.”

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/news/Charges-ancient-animal-laws/article-2471208-detail/article.html

Couple who reared pitbulls avoid prison

A couple who bred illegal pitbulls to sell on as fighting dogs have escaped a jail term.

Sarah Wilkinson, 23 and Nathan Kirkby, 18, have been sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work by magistrates after admitting possession of a fighting dog, breeding of a fighting dog and advertising as a gift a fighting dog at Preston Magistrates Court.

They were arrested when police and RSPCA officials swooped on their home in Robin Street, Ribbleton, in February following a series of complaints from residents at PACT meetings for the area.

Rascal, black and white dog, China, a brown and white bitch and their 10 puppies were seized and taken to secure kennels. Experts later concluded they were banned pitbulls.

Wilkinson and Kirkby were sentenced to 120 hours unpaid work and a community order, with supervision for six months.

The court made a destruction order for all the animals but the fate of China and Rascal remains unclear as the couple have appealed the order.

The 10 puppies, whom they gave up the rights to, are to be put to sleep.

Insp Paddy O’Neill, of Fulwood Police, said “Dealing with issues that matter most to our communities is our top priority. I hope that these two results go to show that we are clamping down on concerns about dangerous dogs and we are able, with our partners to do something about it to try and make communities safer.”

A 26-year-old Preston man was given a restriction order by magistrates at the end of June after his pet was seized by police. The order means his dog must be muzzled and on a lead – both in a public place and in a vehicle – and must be neutered and micro chipped.

The order says it needs to be registered on an exempted dog index, insured and must not be in the control of under 16s.

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/couple_who_reared_pitbulls_avoid_prison_1_928679#

Lockerbie man faces badger pesticide charge

A man from Lockerbie has been appeared in court on charges of interfering with a badger sett.

William Scobie, 75, of Whitehills Avenue, is alleged to have put the banned pesticide Cymag in the entrance to the sett at nearby Jardine Hall.

He is also accused of obstructing access to the sett and storing the pesticide in a locked filing cabinet.

The case at Dumfries Sheriff Court was continued without plea until 16 August.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-10764088

Eden huntsman beat fox to its death

Alistair Robinson beat a fox to death

A MAN who flushed a fox from its den and beat it to death with a stick has today been found guilty of illegal hunting with a dog.

Witnesses told Penrith Magistrates Court that Alistair Robinson, 48, of Bampton Grange, near Shap, held the fox by its tail and struck it eight times.

Robinson had denied using dogs to hunt a fox but the case was proved by Judge Gerald Chalk. He was fined £250, ordered to pay £900 costs and a £15 surcharge.

League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) members Ed Shephard and Paul Tillsey showed the court film footage of Robinson’s actions as an Ullswater Foxhounds ‘drag’ hunt passed Hartsop on October 26 last year. The film showed the defendant take a fox from the ground where his two terriers had been running in tunnels.

The hunt was intended to be a legal ‘drag’, where dogs follow a scent planted by members. Robinson was filmed putting his black terrier into a hole in the area where a fox had been spotted.

Oliver King, prosecuting, said Robinson was seen by LACS members digging with a stick in the area where the fox had run underground, after the hunt moved on.

Robinson later admitted, in interview, he had killed the animal and buried its carcass in a dry stone wall, where LACS members later retrieved it. He claimed he did not intend to use dogs to kill the animal.

A post-mortem examination on the vixen was carried out by Stephen Harris at Bristol University. The examination revealed it had been attacked for ‘a prolonged period’ by dogs and received extensive injuries. The court heard that there were bite wounds to the fox’s face and it had a partially crushed skull.

Stephen Welford, defending, said Robinson had only sent his terrier underground to help track and bring out a four-year-old dog that had accidentally escaped its lead and run in.

When interviewed by Cumbria police, after his arrest on January 11, Mr Robinson said: “The fox was in a bit of a state, so I gave it a couple of knocks to finish it off. It wouldn’t have survived.”

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/8285040.Eden_huntsman_beat_fox_to_its_death/

Fernie hunt employees face prosecution after being filmed by anti-hunt group

Both men are due to appear at Market Harborough Magistrates’ Court

Two employees of a hunt face prosecution after being filmed by an anti fox-hunting group.

Fernie huntsman Derek Hopkins and Kevin Allen, a terrierman, are being prosecuted for alleged offences under the Hunting Act 2004 and the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.

The alleged offences have not yet been specified but are understood to have involved disturbing a badger’s sett.

They are alleged to have taken place on Wednesday, January 27 at Thorpe Langton, near Market Harborough.

It is alleged the men were caught on camera by observers working for the League Against Cruel Sports.

Summonses were sent out on Tuesday last week. Both men are due to appear at Market Harborough Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 19.

Under the law which came into force in February 2005, hounds may be used to flush out a fox but cannot be used to kill it.

Other methods, such as shooting, must be used.

Mr Hopkins became the huntsman at the Fernie in 2000. Neither Mr Hopkins nor Mr Allen could be contacted at the kennels.

Each year, thousands of visitors and supporters attend the Boxing Day meeting held on the village green near the kennels in Great Bowden.

Joe Cowen, co-master of the Fernie Hunt, said he was unaware of the alleged offences. He said: “I do not know the circumstances, but I am sure they will be vigorously denied.”

The Fernie has been hunting in south east Leicestershire since the middle of the 19th century, after previously being part of the Quorn Hunt.

A spokesman for the national Masters of Foxhounds Association said: “We were aware of a possible prosecution but have not been informed that it was proceeding.

“Therefore, we cannot comment.”

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports said the prosecution of Mr Hopkins and Mr Allen followed evidence gathered by hunt observers working for it being passed to police.

He said: “This is the fourth such case to proceed to court this year.”

A spokeswoman for Leicestershire police said: “We cannot comment as the case is now before the court.”

A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said it would be supporting the Fernie, which has continued to hunt legally since the new law was introduced.

He said: “We are confident the two people involved will be found not guilty should the case come to court.”

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/fernie-hunt-employees-prosecuted/article-2428754-detail/article.html

Drag hunt folds before first season

A DRAG hunting group has disbanded before its first full season even started following an investigation by an animal welfare charity which found some of its dogs had been neglected.

advertising Alasdair Hilleary, committee chairman of the Highland Drag Hunt - which was due to start in the autumn – apologised after Scottish SPCA inspectors discovered four hounds in unacceptable conditions in Dores two weeks ago.

The hounds have since been rehomed and the animal welfare inspectors are taking no further action.

Yesterday, Mr Hilleary confirmed the demise of the group but said steps had already been taken for a new group to replace it, which he would consider participating in.

“By mutual consent and unavoidable circumstances we have decided to close it down,” said Mr Hilleary who denied it was as a direct result of the investigation.

He refused to expand on the reasons but believed there was still interest in the area for drag hunting, an alternative to fox hunting – which was banned in the UK five years ago – and involves hounds chasing a scent, which has been dragged over land ahead of the hunt.

After the neglected hounds were found, Mr Hilleary stated the group’s plans would be reviewed..

The dogs were discovered by the group’s honorary joint secretary Moira McCallum in pens which had not been cleaned and with piles of food.

She reported it to the Scottish SPCA and immediately resigned from the group.

“It has been a very sorry episode,” said the hunt’s joint master Georgie Rutherford. “We put our trust in someone, and they have let us down so badly.

“The remaining six couples of hounds are here with me at our home farm and are being kennelled and exercised properly and we are open to any inspection.” The first full season of hunting in the area – covering Moray, Nairn, Inverness, Loch Ness, the Black Isle and Sutherland – was due to run from September to April.

It could now be taken over by another group set up by Gordon Mackay, who plans to form a new hunt committee, but would not be able to start until autumn 2011.

“The new hunt would need to regain support within the area and make sure kennels and hounds are fully inspected to comply with hunt regulations to the full and make sure kennel management is adhered to at all times,” he said.

“I do not stand for neglect of any animals whatsoever. I will take full charge of kennels and hounds.

“We no longer have a drag hunt in the Highlands so we do need to get this right this time around for all and for the Highlands and for the sport of drag hunting.

“I am sure this will be a big disappointment to a lot of supporters wishing to see a new hunt in the area but I am sure we all agree this will take time and we must get it right to make sure a new hunt will be around for years to come for all to enjoy.”

http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/12791/Drag_hunt_folds_before_first_season.html

Lake District hunt members cautioned by police after attack on protestors

Two members of a Lake District hunt have been cautioned by police after a video was posted on the internet showing an attack on anti-hunt protestors.

The League Against Cruel Sports were following the Coniston Foxhounds near Ambleside in March when the video was taken.

In it, a member of the league gets involved in an argument with an elderly hunt supporter, who begins jabbing a walking stick towards him.

Another man then arrives on a quad bike, and is told the league member “needs doing”. The cameraman is then pushed off a wall.

On Friday, police cautioned a 70-year-old man for using threatening behaviour to cause fear of violence, and a 44-year-old was cautioned for battery.

Ed Shephard, the league’s investigation officer, was on the scene on the day of the incident, and described the experience as “terrifying”, adding that he was disappointed with the decision to caution the members.

He said: “I’m very disappointed that these bullies are getting away with a caution. The police dealt with the case admirably, but for the CPS decision to leave it at a caution makes no sense.”

The league’s chief executive Douglas Batchelor added that it was only the latest example of verbal and physical abuse suffered by his staff and volunteers by hunt supporters.

He said: “If these thugs were carrying on like this down some high street, there would be hell to pay.

“There seems to be one law for the hunters and one for everyone else.”

A police spokesman said: “Two men were cautioned following an incident at White Moss Car Park at Rydal near Ambleside in March. A 44-year-old local man was cautioned for battery after he drove his quad bike toward a member of an animal welfare group, and then pushed another member off a dry stone wall.

“A second man aged 70 was cautioned for using threatening words or behaviour to cause fear or provoke violence after he waved a stick at a member of an animal welfare group.”

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/lake-district-hunt-members-cautioned-by-police-after-attack-on-protestors-1.727986?referrerPath=news