Latest News March 4th 2023
5.23
Hunt Behaviour
On Saturday (18 Feb), North Staffordshire Hunt riders spilled unexpectedly onto a road a collision occurred between a car and a horse with rider. It would appear that the hunt removed themselves from the scene as quickly as possible leaving a rider lying in the road. The car was quite badly damaged, and the driver was shaken although otherwise “ok”. We believe that both horse and rider were injured. The police and ambulance were quick to attend. (Staffordshire Hunt Sabs and Manchester Hunt Sabs covered the incident.) This incident is relevant for AAF’s Hunt Road Chaos campaign.
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Previous hunt accidents have also involved children.On 04/04/16, nine year old Bonnie Armitage was fatally injured when she was kicked by another horse whilst out with the Cotswold Hunt.
On 18/11/21, the two year old daughter of the master of the Bedale Hunt, Felicity Francis, died after falling from her pony whilst out with the hunt.
On 26/12/22, a 12 year old girl broke her leg whilst out with the Mendip Farmers Hunt for their Boxing Day meet at Priddy Green.
The hunts don’t seem to care about the risks with their children. Let’s hope the most recent accident puts children off hunting for ever.
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As you know, dogs from the Four Burrows Hunt fell down a mine shaft on White Alice Farm, Cornwall, and had to be rescued. It turns out that the hunt did not have permission to be on the farm, so they were trespassing. Trespass is a clear indication of illegal foxhunting – hunts cannot expect us to believe they have laid a trail on someone else’s land.
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Fitzwilliam Hunt supporters attacked the vehicle belonging to Beds and Bucks Hunt Sabs. An attempt to slash the tyres was made, but the knife was dropped, and windscreen wipers were damaged. Being able to hear the attack, the 999 controller advised the driver to do what was necessary to get out of the situation. Beds and Bucks Hunt Sabs Facebook page names those involved.
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You may recall that the Avon Vale Hunt was videoed releasing dug out foxes to their hounds resulting in them being suspended by the British Hound Sports Association (revamped version of the Hunting Office). Drone footage taken by sabs of the Avon Vale Kennels, reveals dead hounds on the concrete floor and in an uncovered skip. Biosecurity appears non-existent. Trading standards has been informed in the past but there has been no improvement. Bath Hunt Sabs Facebook page carries the footage.
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Mike Smith, senior master at the Avon Vale has also been permanently excluded by the British Hound Sports Association. He did not feature in the video, but the BHSA has decided he has to go as he was presiding over the illegal and cruel behaviour of the hunt. Of course, we don’t trust the motives of the BHSA as we know that what they are trying to do is preserve their “sport” as opposed to cleaning it up.
On Saturday 25th Feb, two dogs from the Cheshire Hunt were struck by cars. The police appeared to advise them that they had dogs dangerously out of control and sent them packing (possibly with a dispersal notice). As they hacked back to their meet they took the opportunity to hunt yet another fox which sabs saw to safety.
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On 28/02/23 Three Counties Hunt Sabs reported two slashed tyres, whilst sabbing the Heythrop Hunt and North Cotswolds Hunt.
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On 28/02/23 sabs from Manchester and Staffordshire experienced an attack on one of their numbers, perpetrated by the Huntsman of the Albrighton and Woodland Hunt. The ‘provocation’ for the attack, if you can call it that, was they had obtained video footage of an injured hound with blood on it. Paul Larby’s assault on the sab and the breaking of a camera was recorded on several sab cameras and an investigation is thought to have been opened. Staffordshire Police attended, but then the West Mercia Police also arrived.
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Police
Essex Police Rural Engagement Team have issued a Community Protection Warning against the Essex Farmer’s Hunt. This CPW is the direct result of a number of groups’ contributions: North London Hunt Sabs, Suffolk and East Essex Hunt Sabs, East Herts Sabs, Herts Wildlife Monitors, not to mention the members of the public who also provided the background evidence so the police could take action.
East Essex Hunt supporters were ‘put in their place’ by a rebuke from the police who advised them not to block a public road.
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Hertfordshire Hunt Sabs’ report on the Cottesmore Hunt from Saturday has some interesting remarks in it. Police witnessed a fox being chased and sabs “remain hopeful that Leicestershire Police in general will deal with this matter in a firmer manner. They (the hunt) are now so out of control that even when approached by police they just shrug and carry on regardless. They have shown recently they have no respect for animals, (wildlife or their own,) the safety of other people, and no respect for the police.”
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Cumbria Hunt Sabs thanked the police for attending the Blencathra Fox Hounds who met on Sunday the 19th.
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Wiltshire Police have claimed, in a convoluted sort of a way, that it is fine for their officers to be associated with an organisation known for criminal activity. They have more than one officer that goes out hunting and they do not see a conflict of interest, nor do they see that it contradicts the oath they took when they assumed office. These officers, and other senior officers, fail to understand that the public should expect all police officers to be “squeaky clean” at all times, including in their private lives. Cheryl Knight, an officer in the Rural Crime Team, is a hunter and connected with the criminal Avon Vale Hunt.
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Wiltshire Hunt Sabs have organised a petition and a demo asking for this officer to be removed from the Rural Crime Team. The demonstration is planned for the 5th of March outside the Devizes Police Headquarters at 13.00. Here is the petition:
https://chng.it/XJJcWgjsbq
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Wiltshire Police continue to make things worse and worse. Their latest unnecessary FB post told us that they are seeking “independent advice” about how to deal with the proposed demo on 5th March, thereby implying that somehow “sabs” are the most violent sort of people. They appear to be fanning the flames. Is this deliberate? Would they like to see some unrest so that they can justify their biased attitude towards anti-hunting activists?
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Wiltshire Police deserve their own dedicated news bulletin, they feature so often in reports. BBC news reports that a former Police Inspector with the Wiltshire police (Ian Stevenson) has pleaded guilty to possessing extreme images involving bestiality. The force is in Special Measures.
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Cheshire Police seem to be one of the few bright spots in the policing of hunts. After a particularly bad hunting day (Ladies Day, Mon 13th) when the Cheshire Hounds seem to antagonise most of the countryside, by trespassing or badly frightening pregnant ewes, and horses, and cows, and treating farmers and landowners with contempt, Cheshire Police took some positive action. On Saturday (18th) they turned up with the intention of catching the hunts red-handed, or at least imposing some discipline upon them. They had officers with three cars, a drone, and most remarkably, two scrambling bikes which moved across the countryside with speed. The drone may even have recorded an active dig out. We are not privy to what the police gleaned from this operation, but it was undoubtedly a significant event.
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West Midlands Hunt Sabs report that the West Midlands Hunt abandoned their day of hunting after another quad bike was stopped, this time by an unmarked police car. (The police had also stopped a quad bike on 13/02/23).
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Investigations and Prosecutions
The personal CCTV covering a Norfolk couple’s back garden revealed the West Norfolk Fox Hounds at large and out of control. They had killed a fox there and the actual kill is recorded on the video. Norfolk Police have arrested three men. Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Sabs report, “We believe the men in custody to be Huntsman Mikey Bell, Whipper-in Adam Egginton, and Hunt Master Andrew Kendall. All three men are also under investigation for assault and robbery on one of our female sabs back in October.”
We now know their bail conditions:-
Not to take part in trail hunting activities.
Not to contact or interfere with witnesses.
Not to be in a public place in charge of a dog not on a lead.
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Norfolk Police booked two hunt supporters as they left the Waveny Hunt. One female was booked because she was using her mobile phone whilst driving. At least the police are now more willing to act against hunts and their lawlessness.
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The Times carried an article on Friday 17/02/23 stating that the Wynnstay Hunt was under investigation for illegal blocking of a badger sett. The headline ran, “Hunt run by friend of King Charles…”. The Times have video of the actual interference with the badger sett and the persons involved.
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Mendip Hunt Sabs have video footage of the Hunt Master, George, of the Mendip Farmers Hunt using a whip on a hound. The RSPCA are now investigating.
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Protect the Wild reports that Ryan Thomas Spence who had been convicted of hare coursing, appealed his sentence, and by so doing had the sentence increased. The sixth month driving ban, which was issued alongside his Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and £1000 fine, was increased to 2 years beginning from the date of his appeal.
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Perhaps one of the significant developments that has occurred concerning foxhunting is the fact that the above incident was reported on ITV News. Both the BBC and ITV are more willing to report on foxhunting issues, although the ITV appears to be far ahead of the BBC in its willingness.
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Charles Carter and Guy Loader from the Royal Artillery Hunt were issued with Official Warning in accordance with Salisbury Plain Military Byelaws 1981 Sect 4 para 1&2 for deer chase 22 October 2022. Next time expect prosecution, their solicitor being kept busy.
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Mass Sab
On 22/02/23 four of the West Country Hunts had a joint meeting which attracted a mass sab. At least 12 different sab groups were involved. Although this was a joint meet by four hunts, the field only amounted to 30 or so riders. Worse from the hunt’s point of view, there were locals objecting to them
Campaigns
A long-haul Boxing Day campaign by AAF Somerset culminated in a show-down at the full public meeting of Somerset County Council on 22 February. Alyson Rogers, Somerset Coordinator, joined Pip Donovan to speak at the meeting. Alyson’s powerful speech, in which she described how she was intimidated, imprisoned and threatened by followers of the Cotley Hunt during their Boxing Day Meet in Chard was picked up by the local press.
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It turns out that practically every county has a Public Space Protection Order making it an offence for an owner to fail to pick up dog faeces – and nearly every one of them has no exemption for hounds. AAF is expecting a large number of hunts to either be fined for offences, or have to get off their horses and (just like everyone else) deploy a poo bag. For more information, click here:
https://www.actionagainstfoxhunting.org/hounds-and-faeces-reporting-breaches-to-the-council/
Opinion
One of the more egregious statements contained in the review of North Wales policing came from one of their eight officers who gave evidence. He clearly showed his bias towards hunts with the statement that it was normally sabs that initiated violence. How would he know? The police are never there when violence kicks off, and if they were, it probably would not kick off in the first place. In making a statement like that, he chose to be loyal to the hunt and not to his own force, who are trying to improve their practices. That to one side, there is a revealing remark in the North Wales Hunt Sabs report on the Flint And Denbigh Hunt (18th Feb). “One supporter then walked over to the vehicle and struck the sab in the face through the open window. Fortunately for the attacker this is just the type of behaviour that the North Wales police tolerate… well from the hunt anyway“. There has to be a significant change in attitude from the police in North Wales if they want to improve their relationship with animal welfare activists.
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It might be worth reminding ourselves how the Norfolk Police were just a year ago.
Norfolk/Suffolk HS report on the West Norfolk Fox Hounds for 07/02/22:
“… A further three 999 calls were made, each time the call handler told the sab that they were trying to get to them but each time no one came.“
Further down the same report, “A further 999 call was made but this time the Sab was treated like a nuisance, told that the police had already been and that this incident had been dealt with and then hung up on the desperate Sab as the hounds continued to chase a fox in front of her.“
“At approximately 4 pm the hunt headed in the direction of the meet just as a police car appeared at the meet also. Police appeared to have a nice friendly chat with the hunters who had by now enjoyed a full five hours of hunting and chasing Mammals with hounds, contrary to the hunting act.”
This following link to an article on the Avon Vale Hunt and Wiltshire Police is an eye opener.
To see all previous issues of Latest News, click here: https://www.actionagainstfoxhunting.org/headlines/
Latest News 4th March 2023
