WARWICKSHIRE CONVICTION – Warwickshire Hunt member, Benjamin Halsall, the Hunt whipper-in, has been found guilty in Coventry Magistrates Court of hunting a wild mammal with dogs. The offence occurred on 09/10/23. He has been fined £1000 and has to pay £1000 costs.

 In connection with the above prosecution, a senior officer from Warwickshire Police, Assistant Chief Constable Claire Armes, made a short video commenting on the Warwickshire Police’s dedication to upholding the law. She did not mention that the sabs collected the evidence for the prosecution. The video was very badly received on Social Media.

The Warwickshire Police and Crime Panel refused to answer questions from ‘Locals against the Warwickshire Hunt after taking legal advice from the Warwickshire County Council leader, who is none other than Mrs Seccombe, the wife of the PCC, Mr Seccombe.

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ORDER – On Fri 21/02/25, at Poole Magistrates Court, one of the supporters of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, Shane Chapman, received a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) resulting from his violence against sabs on 29/09/23. The terms of his CBO  should prevent him attending any hunt in the next five years.

FOX KILL – On Thursday 30/01/25, The Taunton Vale Harriers killed a fox in front of a member of the public. Police are investigating.

HUNT SUPPORTER CHARGED – Glasgow Hunt Sabs report that the hunt supporter from the Dumfriesshire and Stewartry Foxhounds who on Saturday 08/03/25 punched one of the sabs in the face, has been charged with assault.

CHARGED – Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Sabs have reported that Norfolk Police have charged Toby Fleming with common assault after he attacked a female sab who was monitoring the West Norfolk Foxhounds in January.

HUNTER IN COURT – On 07/03/25, Gordon Herrod pled not guilty to the charge of rape. The case will be heard in March 2026.  Herrod led the Boxing Day parade in Chard in Dec ‘23.  Gordon Herrod was the Huntsman of the Cotley Hunt.

GUILTY – A Flint and Denbigh Hunt member/supporter, Dewi Cahill, has received a 14 month jail sentence, but suspended for 18 months,  after being found guilty of assaulting his then wife.
 

SENTENCING – A previous huntsman of the Essex and Suffolk Hunt is due to be sentenced in April for crimes against wildlife, and the current huntsman is due in court soon on hunting charges.

COMMUNITY PROTECTION NOTICE – The Puckeridge and Essex Union Hunt have been served with a CPN (Community Protection Notice) as reported by The East Hertfordshire Hunt Sabs. The Hunt are appealing the CPN and a further hearing is scheduled for the end of October.  A CPN can be issued to an individual, or, as in this case, an organisation whose behaviour causes “a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality“ and which is “of a persistent or continuing nature.” The Hunt previously had a CPW issued to them in October 2022.

COMMUNITY PROTECTION IGNORED –  The Melbreak Foxhounds have a CPN against them. Lake District Hunt Sabs witnessed and recorded evidence of that CPN being repeatedly breached by the Hunt on 22/02/25. They also have footage of the hounds digging at a badger sett with Huntsman (Ed Liddle) watching on.

THEFT – Cotswold Hunt Sabs report that the terrierman from the Vale of White Horse Hunt, Gary McCann, stole the vehicle keys through the window of the sab vehicle. The police said they would get the keys returned.

ASSAULT – Two female sabs were sprayed with a substance that was probably urine whilst attending the Cattistock Hunt. The police were informed of the assault.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE – Kernow Sabs, Monitors and Animal Rights Team would like to establish the identity of the hunt supporter from the North Cornwall Hunt who broke the back window of their vehicle. He is photographed driving a white pickup Land Rover with bull bars and no registration plates.

ASSAULT – On Saturday 08/03/25, a member of the Dumfriesshire and Stewartry Hunt punched a sab in the face. The video of this assault is with the Scottish Police and Glasgow Hunt Sabs are awaiting the outcome.

ASSAULT – On Monday 10/05/25, a landowner who supports the South Nottinghamshire Hunt, drove his vehicle at a female sab, causing her to be thrown over the bonnet of his car.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE – On Saturday 08/03/25, Nottingham Hunt Sabs along with Lincoln Hunt Sabs had three windows of their vehicle smashed by a member of the Grove and Rufford Hunt. They were also subject to multiple assaults.The attacks have been reported to the police. In at least one of the attacks, the sab vehicle was being driven in a line of traffic on a main road.

POLICE IN ATTENDANCE  – Beds and Bucks Hunt Sabs were pleased to have the Cambridgeshire Police Rural Crime Team in attendance at the meet of the Fitzwilliam Hunt at Berkeley House. Members of the Hunt attacked the sab driver and vehicle, and continued the attack after the driver extricated the group and their vehicle from the initial action. They were recorded on camera and that evidence has been handed over to the police.  Subsequently, one of the Hunt’s terrier men was pulled over by the police for riding his quad illegally on the road.

 
PRAISE FOR POLICE – Northants Hunt Sabs, who concentrate largely on the Cottesmore Hunt, praised Leicestershire  Police in their last hit report.
 

POLICE ATTEND HUNT – Gloucester Police attended the meet of the Beaufort and Berkeley Hunt at the request of local people. Wiltshire Hunt Sabs report that the Hunt’s conduct after the visit from the police was very much more subdued.

QUAD BIKE DANGER – On 23/12/23, Grace Vater fell off the back of a quadbike driven by Alex Evans from the Beaufort Hunt. She died. Staffordshire Hunt Sabs have video footage of a quad belonging to the North Staffordshire Hunt being driven around with a driver and three passengers, one of which is a girl perched on the back of the quad.

HORSE DEATHS – Two horses were shot in separate accidents while hunting. The North Cotswold Hunt, and the Two Bridges Hunt Club were involved.

COMPENSATION – An animal activist has won £5,000 of compensation from Cheshire Police because of harassment which started with the Badger Cull in 2019.

MERGER –  North London Hunt Sabs report that the Puckeridge with Essex Union Hunt are taking over the area formally hunted by the now defunct East Essex Hunt. The grab of new countryside to hunt is being touted as a merger, so the Puckeridge with Essex Union Hunt may therefore undergo a name change.