Who’s who at the Warwickshire Hunt…

Lord Willoughby De Broke - Leopold David Verney - CONSISTENT LAWBREAKER

Verney of Ditchford Farm, Shipston on Stour, repeatedly allows the organised crime group The Warwickshire Hunt to use his land for illegal fox hunting. This means he is continually in breach of Section 3.1 of the Hunting Act 2004. At the beginning of last season, in September 2024, video footage obtained by West Midlands Hunt Sabs shows the hunt blatantly cub hunting on his land https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AXRXRk99S/

Verney comes from a long line of fox hunters, with his Great Grandfather and Grandfather writing books about the abhorrent “tradition” of fox hunting. Verney himself is also a former chairman and director of the Warwickshire Hunt.

Verney is also the director of S.M Theatre Limited, which is St Martin’s Theatre in London. You may know this theatre as being the location for the longest continuous running show in the world, with The Mousetrap. So, you may wish to avoid this theatre and let your friends and family know that money given to this theatre, lines the pockets of illegal fox hunters.

An ex-member of the conservative party, Verney defected to UKIP and now claims he is non-affiliated. He has also ceased to be a member of the House of Lords due to non-attendance.

Verney is from a long line of people who believe fox hunting is not cruel and his roots are embedded in this web of organised crime. He continually gives the Warwickshire Hunt permission to illegally hunt foxes on his land, defying the law because he can. It is time police forces all over the country start enforcing the law where landowners are concerned, they can’t simply pick and choose which laws to enforce based on the perpetrator.

Lord Fermoy - Maurice Burke Roche

It seems that Maurice, an apparent expert in British etiquette, loses all memory of manners when it comes to illegal fox hunting. He is of course, a regular rider with the organised crime group, the Warwickshire Hunt. His grandmother, Ruth, was a Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen’s mother and grandmother to Princess Diana.

At the beginning of last season, whilst the Warwickshire Hunt were trespassing and surrounding a covert during cub hunting, Maurice was filmed calling a West Midlands Hunt Saboteur “old,” “lame” and trying to steer the saboteur off a footpath. https://fb.watch/zdLy0H7awO/

It also seems that the laws of the road don’t apply to him, as the following video shows him jumping a red light whilst on his horse. Another example of the arrogance of this hunt and the danger they continue to put members of the public in. https://fb.watch/zdLGb2IwEZ/

The Fermoy’s live at Handywater Farm in Banbury and have MF Enterprises Ltd registered there, as well as a company called SkySchool (more about that in another post). MF Enterprises Ltd has had multiple names over the years but categorises itself as retail sale of mobile phones, mortgages and other letting services.

Maurice attended Eton, which is known for its lessons in animal cruelty. Eton has its own pack of Beagles used for hare hunting which you can read more about at

https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/lessons-in-cruelty-at-eton…/

Maurice likes to think he is superior, as demonstrated in the videos above, due to his “aristocratic traditions” but he is nothing more than a criminal who is deeply embedded in a seedy world of animal abuse and corruption.

Hatton Country World owner Johnnie Arkwright is an avid fox hunter.

Arkwright, a regular rider with the Warwickshire Hunt believes that those opposed to fox hunting “don’t understand country life” and “don’t like the rich,” and claims that those opposed to fox hunting are “snowflakes.”

He and his wife Arabella own the 900-acre Hatton Estate in Warwickshire, which consists of Hatton Country World, Hatton Shopping Village, Hatton Adventure world, the Hatton Arms and many more.

Hatton Adventure World

https://www.facebook.com/HattonAdventureWorld?locale=en_GB

Hatton Garden Centre & Shopping Village

https://www.facebook.com/HattonShoppingVillage/

The Hatton Arms

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054263991391…

During an episode of Stacey Dooley sleeps over, Johnnie’s daughter Violet said “‘Fox hunting for us is a family tradition some people have religion and culture that becomes a family tradition, and it seems ridiculous, but hunting is almost like that to us.”

In 2004 Johnnie campaigned with the Countryside Alliance for who he used to be a director, against the legislation banning fox hunting. Remember Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe is also part of the Countryside Alliance.

We’re pretty sure that the majority of people who visit Hatton are opposed to fox hunting, as over 85% of the population are, so how does Johnnie feel about taking their money? We’re pretty sure he’s quite happy about it whilst laughing at them and calling them snowflakes.

Petra Louise Johnston (Postlethwaite) owner of SSSI Wolford Wood

Wolford Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, meaning that it is an ancient woodland where biodiversity and species variation is so great it is protected by law. However, Petra continues to allow the Warwickshire Hunt to illegally hunt within the woodland, trampling over flora and fauna and disturbing other local wildlife in their pursuit to murder foxes. Recent footage shared by West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs shows whipper in Jack Weedon and terrier man James White blocking an active badger sett within the woodland prior to one of the hunts meets last season. Footage can be seen here https://fb.watch/z4vs-_Cnfj/

Petra is the sister of Robin Smith-Ryland, a blood sport enthusiast who regularly rides with the Warwickshire and claims to be somewhat of an animal welfare expert.

Wolford Wood is advertised as a place to holiday, with cabins and a campsite. Described as being the “perfect place to connect with nature.” Most recently they’ve started doing, Forest Bathing with Healing Earth Ways. We wonder if they’ll point out where the blocked badger sett is or maybe they’ll take the route of the hounds as they pursue a fox.

The infamous Gavin Field

Gavin Field is one of the weak links within the Warwickshire Hunt. Prone to outbursts of hysteria he has been cautioned under Section 4a of the Public Order Act for swearing, during an incident where he stole keys from Wesr Midlands Hunt Saboteurs vehicle and threw them over a hedge, in December 2022. Prior to the contents of the Secret Protocol being released he also claimed on camera to have a “secret pact” with the Warwickshire Police.
In November 2024, Gavin harassed ITV journalists who were out filming when a fox was chased onto a housing estate. He called the journalists “shady” as he demanded to see ID. He can be heard on video footage claiming, “you can’t just bring people out filming. You must get permission.” Bearing in mind this was on the side of a public highway, where permission from Gavin does not need to be sought. It just shows how out of touch he is with the real world. You can view this footage at https://fb.watch/yYysCdFWgO/
Gavin’s outbursts have consisted off; swearing at sabs, calling a hunt saboteur a runt, threatening saboteurs with physical violence and general nonsense. BUT it’s not only Gavin who is a liability for this hunt, his son is too (or was he a scapegoat)? Gavin’s son, Ben Halsall was recently found guilty under the Hunting Act 2004 after the Warwickshire Hunt killed a fox in October 2023.
Gavin is also the sole director of Newfield Horses, which is registered to Newfield Forge, Whatcote. He describes his business as “Quality horses sourced from Ireland for their potential in eventing, hunting and dressage.”
You can see more of Gavin’s outbursts in this footage 👇

Warwickshire landowner, Tony Ellis, his family ties and his violence towards sabs.

Tony Ellis, of Elm’s Farm, Marton, Rugby, is a landowner who is consistently in breach of Section 3.1 of the Hunting Act 2004, as he allows the Warwickshire Hunt to illegally hunt foxes on his land. BUT Tony’s love of criminal activity stems further than this. Back in November 2017 he physically assaulted a female member of West Midlands Hunt Sabs, hitting her in the face and pushing her to the ground.
The attack was unprovoked, as admitted by a hunt supporter, and you can see the anger and malice that ex Warwickshire Hunt Director, Tony displays in the footage. https://fb.watch/yU_0hWRFir/
Tony’s son Tom owns racehorse business G&T Racing, working alongside his wife Gina and her brother Jack Andrews. https://www.facebook.com/GandTEllisRacing/?locale=en_GB
In 2023 Gina competed in the Cheltenham Festival. The horse she was riding, Malinello was killed in the National Hunt Chase on the first day of the festival. Their website states that “The expertise that he has been able to develop has allowed Tom to acquire an unparalleled acumen in identifying and developing young horses, ensuring they not only win but also turn a profit.” This one statement makes the attitudes of Tony and Tom’s family towards animals abundantly clear. They are seen as entertainment and money is the most important factor.
The Ellis’s truly are a family embedded in the organised crime world of the Warwickshire Hunt, who clearly think that violence towards animals and their fellow humans is acceptable.
Tony admitted the assault on the sab and accepted a caution.

Richard Watson Warwick University researcher and avid blood sports enthusiast.

Richard Watson is a teaching fellow at the University of Warwick and is a secretary of the British Society of Rheology, but in his spare time he is a blood sports enthusiast who is wholly embedded into the world of organised crime. During the months of August through to March he can be found in his preferred checked shirt attire following the Warwickshire Hunt around on foot. He can usually be found loitering around with Hubert Keller, a supporter and landowner who allows the hunt to use his land. Richard is so invested with the Warwickshire Hunt that he is also chair of the Warwickshire Hunt Supporters Club.
In the latest scandal, the Hunt Saboteurs Association has released details of footage they have been sent, showing the Dove Valley Mink Hounds attempting to illegally hunt and kill mink. “The footage, taken last summer, shows hunt staff and others using a long, extendable pole to try to dislodge the animal from a tree,” and who was stood watching the animal cruelty, but Richard Watson. This isn’t the first time Richard has been at the Dove Valley Mink Hounds; the picture we have shared was taken by West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs on a separate occasion when he was caught red handed.
We wonder if his colleagues at Warwick University are aware of his embroilment in organised crime or how the British Society of Rheology (BSR) feel about his involvement in this. You can contact the President of the BSR at https://www.bsr.org.uk/pages/contact-the-president
You can contact the President and Vice Chancellor of Warwick University, Stuart Croft, at S.Croft@Warwick.ac.uk
In order for these issues to be handled with the seriousness they deserve, please keep all correspondence polite.
You can read the HSA’s recent report about the Dove Valley Mink Hounds here