Top Stories

COTTESMORE HUNT On the first day of the new season, the Cottesmore Hunt brought in some of last year’s ‘heavies’, despite the conviction of David Fildes (see below). They assaulted sabs. Leicestershire Police attended and arrested Andy Kean, and another of the violent ‘enforcers’ probably employed by the hunt. Northants Hunt Sabs Facebook page shows a photograph of the incident. One is of a vehicle owned by a former master of the Cottesmore Hunt, Ashley Bealby, being impounded.  Lincolnshire Police monitored the hunt’s activities on a subsequent hunt. They (the hunt) did not employ hired thugs on this occasion.

HOUNDS KILLED ON ROADS Weymouth Animal Rights believe a hound from the South Dorset Hunt was struck by traffic on 19/10/24. Cheshire Monitors report that there has been yet another incident of a hound from the Wynnstay Hunt being hit by a vehicle. Also, two hounds from the Mendip Farmers Hunt were struck by traffic on the A39.

CHURCH SUPPORTS HARE HUNT Hunters attended a St Hubert’s service in St Peter’s Church, Purse Caundle, Dorset. The Reverend, who later stated that he couldn’t refuse to talk to anyone who entered his church, posed for a photograph with a hare hunt. The photo was taken by a notorious local animal abuser. When Pip Donovan rang and offered to meet in the church with the Reverend to discuss it, he did in fact refuse and put the phone down on her.

MORE stories

GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS TO CHANGE THE HUNTING ACT. To keep the pressure up on the Government, Protect the Wild, has put together a letter to Steve Reed, DEFRA Secretary, with an impressive list of signatories: Dame Judi Dench, Sir Mark Rylance, Rickie Gervais amongst others.  Also, Dr Simon Opher, MP is presenting a letter signed by 17 MPs to Steve Reed. The letter suggests changes to the Hunting Act taken from AAF’s report “Broken Law”. On the streets, AAF campaigners are continuing to collect postcards to Steve Reed signed by the public.

KILLS Lancashire Hunt Sabs believe the Eskdale and Ennerdale Fox Hounds may have killed twice on Saturday (19th Oct).

ANOTHER KILL Two Counties, Somerset and Dorset Hunt Sabs report that the Seavington Hunt killed a fox on Sat 26/10/24. The video is horrible and may be sufficient to secure a conviction for illegal hunting. The Seavington Hunt have been suspended by the British Hounds Sports Association, and there is renewed opposition to this hunt’s public Boxing Day Meet in Crewkerne. 

GUILTY VERDICT On Fri 18/10/24, the guilty verdict against four members of the West Norfolk Foxhounds was upheld. Court fees of £5200 were charged to the West Norfolk Foxhounds. The defending barrister had asked for a reduced fee but the judge dismissed the request saying ‘he saw no reason why the public should bear the burden of a privately funded case that they had chosen to bring.’

GUILTY VERDICT On Monday 28 October 2024, Neil Burton from the Burton Hunt was found guilty of foxhunting and was fined £640 (the BBC report £1490 which may include additional costs). The offence occurred on 27/01/24. Lincoln Hunt Sabs are at pains to thank Aaron Flint at Lincolnshire Rural Crime Team and the CPS for their hard work.

GUILTY VERDICT David Fildes, AKA ‘Strepsil John’, was in Leicester Magistrates’ Court, on Tue 5th November, where he pleaded guilty to all charges brought against him after his violent stint as the Cottesmore Hunt’s main hired hunt thug. He was charged with assault by beating, unlawful violence, and use of threatening or abusive behaviour. He was employed by the Cottesmore Hunt. Fildes will be sentenced in November.

bTB AAF Midlands report that a farm that has experienced bovine TB (bTB) is permitting the Warwickshire Hunt to meet on infected land. In 2017 the whole of the Kimblewick Hunt pack had to be put down after pack contracted bTB. It is therefore well established that hounds can be a source of bTB, particularly as they defaecate whilst out hunting.

WARWICKSHIRE SCANDAL  Channel 4 News covered the story of the fight to get Warwickshire Police exposed as a corrupt organisation aiding the criminality of the Warwickshire Hunt.

https://x.com/Channel4News/status/1848794865565356469?s=19

The PCC and the acting Chief Constable (David Gardner) for Warwickshire have both been interviewed on BBC.  The new found scrutiny generated by Matt Western’s questions in Parliament is beginning to cause the subject to come more into the public domain. David Gardner may now act as the police spokesperson for this issue, but we still do not know who the architect of the secret protocol was, or how many of the most senior officers were a party to it.
Matt Western MP is has written to Mr Tim Bonner, CEO of the Countryside Alliance, asking if some of its activities are allowable, it being a registered charity. He questions their donations and is looking forward to a reply. 

POLICE OFFICER RIDES WITH HUNT West Kent Hunt Sabs have discovered that Kent Police have an officer that rides with the Kent Fox Hounds. This same officer, Ben Kattenhorn, was responsible for a well-documented case against the Hunt which ran out of time.

POLICE IGNORANT OF HUNTING ACT Devon and Cornwall Police earned some bad press by attending the scene where a fox had just been dug out of a badger sett. They informed the sabs that hunting was a civil matter. 

BIASED POLICE On Saturday 26th October, Northants Hunt Sabs packed up the Pipewell Foot Beagles but had to contend with two police officers who were clearly anti sab, and possibly even pro hunt. On their Facebook page, the sabs show a photograph of the two unprofessional officers and one of a much more professional officer who at least was willing to listen to the sabs’ experience that day with the hunt.

HUNT VIOLENCE Herefordshire Hunt Sabs report that Rob Parsons, joint master of the Hereford and Clifton Hunt galloped his horse directly at them when out on Saturday 2nd November. The sabs also helped with a bolting, riderless horse.

BOXING DAY AAF is concentrating on stopping several hunts from holding their Boxing Day meets. Seavington Hunt in Crewkerne, the Ludlow Hunt at Ludlow, the Weston and Banwell Hunt at Axbridge are three of the challenges. AAF will give guidance or help to individuals or groups that oppose these Boxing Day distortions of the truth.

FAILING HUNT The Puckeridge with Essex Union Hunt had more sabs present than they had riders. When the hunt called the police, the sabs engaged with the police who did not respond to the false accusations levied at them by the hunt. They did, however, show an interest in the badger sett that the huntsman had hunted a fox into, almost right in front of the officers.

SCOTLAND Glasgow and Edinburgh Hunt Sabs paid the Jedburgh Forest Hunt a visit and caught them packing up all but two of their hounds.  Once they knew sabs were coming they had to drop down to just the two hounds permitted by Scottish law. The Hunt still had its illegal quad bikes out.

KING CHARLES THE FOX HUNTER The Daily Mail reminded its readership that King Charles used to be an active fox hunter. They reported on the death of one of his fellow foxhunting friends, and showed pictures of them out hunting together. His friend’s demise was very undignified. 

COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE IN TROUBLE  It is not yet confirmed, but the Countryside Alliance, the mouthpiece of the blood sport industry, may have lost a number directors this week.

Campaigns and things to do (now) 

Email Crewkerne Town Council about the Seavington’s Boxing Day Meet
Email Ludlow Castle about their involvement in the Boxing Day Meet of the Ludlow Hunt
Contact Canon Rev’d Richard Hancock and ask him why he had a good chat with hare hunters, but refused to speak with Pip Donovan canonrick@icloud.com
Order Boxing Day/New Year’s Day leaflets from AAF to distribute in towns with a Festive Meet

AAF Outreach

Outreach is our business. We need to talk to people outside of Social Media. Standing in the street, talking to people about foxhunting is easier than you might think.  Please contact Alyson Rogers, Outreach Advisor a.rogers@actionagainstfoxhunting.org and she will help you to everything you need.

Thank you to all the saboteur and monitor groups whose hit reports we have used in our Newsbyte. Please let us know if we have made any mistakes – info@actionagainstfoxhunting.org