Mass criminality in hunting community revealed

Hunt Saboteurs Association Press Release – 13th November 2020

Online Zoom webinars run by the Hunting Office evidence a nationwide conspiracy by hunters to commit perjury and actively flout the 2005 ban on hunting with hounds.  Throughout the three hours of talks, hunts are clearly and repeatedly incited to engage in mass criminality and shown how to present a smokescreen to anyone watching.

The three webinars were part of a series that took place in August this year and were attended by over a hundred and fifty hunt masters from across the country.  The panel was made up of leaders of the hunting community including:

The full videos can be viewed here:

Video 1 – https://youtu.be/NydyADN9LIc

Video 2 – https://youtu.be/fj0BGy46Uoc

Transcripts of the video can be read here:

Lord Mancroft – Conservative Peer, Chair of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) and former Chair of the Countryside Alliance.

Phil Davies – ex-Police Inspector and Police Liaison Consultant to the Countryside Alliance.

Mark Hankinson – MFHA Director, Hunting Office Executive Director  and former Master of the Wilton Hunt.

Richard Tyacke – Chairman of the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles (AMHB), Hunting Office Executive Director  and former Master and Huntsman of the Wynnstay Hunt.

Paul Jelley – Master of the Chilmark and Clifton Foot Beagles from 1990 – 2013 and a Police Officer for 30 years.

Polly Portwin – Head of Hunting at the Countryside Alliance and a member of the notorious Kimblewick Hunt.

The Hunting Office was formed in 2005 in response to the Hunting Act. It represents and supports hundreds of hunts in England, Scotland, and Wales.  Mancroft himself recently described it as “the executive arm of the Hunting Associations. It is our task to regulate and organize hunting across the country; to provide training for new Masters and Hunt Staff, and to set and maintain the highest of standards in every aspect of hunting, in the field, and in the kennel.”

The panel talk about creating a “smokescreen” to allow them to continue illegally hunting and ex-police officer Davies says at one point “I hope no police officers are watching”.  The presence of terrier men at so-called trail hunts is described as the hunting community’s “soft underbelly” as they have no justification for their presence.

We believe it’s vital these webinars are made available to the public, the press and the legal system so that people can draw their own conclusions about the damning contents. It will be clear to everyone that their aim is to incite widespread criminality and allow the hunting of live animals to continue as if their cruel sport had never been banned.

In the footage, MFHA director Mark Hankinson makes their key point: “It’s a lot easier to create a smokescreen if you’ve got more than one trail layer operating and that is what it’s all about, trying to portray to the people watching that you’re going about legitimate business.”

Hankinson also struggles to justify the presence of terrier men at hunts: “Terrier work, this is our soft underbelly. A lot of people would say that if you’re going trail hunting why do you need terriermen following you around? Yes, it is totally legal for them to be out doing everything if they follow the correct exemptions but it does flag up a bit of a marker to everyone, you know why do you as trail hunting, do you need them there?”

Ex police Inspector Davies was also keen on the idea of a smokescreen saying: “Now you know more about hunting than the saboteurs or the courts will know but what it will do is create that smokescreen or that element of doubt that we haven’t deliberately hunted a fox, so if nothing else you need to record that and it will help us provide a defence to huntsmen.”

Richard Tyacke, Director of the AMHB told the webinar “Currently most beagle packs go home if sabs or monitors are present. This is the safe and sensible course of action……What is not acceptable is to carry on regardless with them all around you as if they weren’t there.” 

Paul Jelley, committee member of the AMHB and ex-police officer, suggests that hunts purchase phones for the purpose of concealing criminality: “So something for you hunt staff and terriermen, trail layers and everybody to consider, if you’re recording evidence for the Hunting Act, trail laying, whatever, don’t use the same phones or anything you’ve been using for social media and bragging about what you’ve been doing out hunting.” 

Lord Mancroft, at the end of the first seminar, advises the audience: “Please take that on board everybody. Anything that comes out of these meetings is to be kept amongst ourselves it’s not for general coverage”

Lee Moon, spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, commented: “These videos provide irrefutable proof of what we have long known – almost every single fox, hare, deer and mink hunt in the UK is routinely flouting the Hunting Act and illegally hunting and killing live animals.

This is a nationwide conspiracy being perpetrated by peers and ex-police officers. The fact that they wear suits and ties shouldn’t disguise the fact they’re nothing more than an organised criminal gang  who are sticking two fingers up at the majority of the population.  

Well over one hundred hunt masters attended these seminars and were treated to over three hours of lectures inciting them to commit criminal acts and perjure themselves when dealing with the police. 

It’s also hugely satisfying to hear them repeatedly admit how effective hunt saboteurs are. They know that we are the only people who stop them getting away with illegal hunting.”

MASS CRIMINALITY IN HUNTING COMMUNITY REVEALED THROUGH LEAKED WEBINARS