QUICK NEWS
- Scottish huntsmen ordered to attend court: six charges
- Retired Scottish hunter facing trial
- Devon terriermen charged
- Somerset hunter charged
- Two Rutland hunters – four charges
- Somerset hunt supporter guilty of attack
- Director resigns from Warwickshire hunt
- Warwickshire hunt gets new huntsman
- Sentencing Council publishes new hare coursing penalties
- British Film Institute select illegal hunting films for archive
- End of badger cull in sight
- Northern Ireland Bill to ban foxhunting
- Anti-hunt rally in Westminster
- Multi-sab of mink hunt
- !!Consultation reminder!!
TOP STORIES
As we are between hunting seasons for fox (“trail”) and stag, there are no live reports.
Consequences are, however, catching up.
CHARGES
Having failed to attend the Court on three occasions, Scottish Borders Huntsmen, Matthew Wilkinson and Trevor Adams, were ordered, on 12/05/25, to appear personally at Selkirk Sheriff Court to enter pleas against six charges under the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023. The new date is 9th June.
Also in Scotland, Claire Bellamy, former huntswoman of the Lauderdale Hunt, faces trial on 15th June after being charged in January 2025 with illegal hunting, under licence from NatureScot.
Eggesford Hunt terrierman Thomas Bounsall pleaded not guilty at Barnstaple Magistrates’ Court on Friday 15th May to charges of interfering with a badger sett related to an alleged incident at Shears Wood in Devon, in November 2024, specifically by: “damaging it, secondly by obstructing an entrance, and thirdly causing a dog to enter it with intent or being reckless as to whether their actions would have that consequence”.
Jake Crabb, who is facing the same charges, was absent, but his lawyer says he’ll also plead not guilty.
The magistrates set a date in October for the trial to be heard.
Footage captured In October 2025 by the Mendip Hunt Saboteurs of the BSV illegally hunting a fox near Hornblotton, Somerset has secured charges against Whipper-In Ben Summersgill. Summersgill appeared in court for the first hearing on 19/05/26, on a charge of hunting a wild mammal with hounds. He pleaded “not guilty” and is now due to appear at Taunton Magistrates Court in February 2027.
Huntsman, Sam Jones and Whipper-In, Max Logan of the Cottesmore Hunt have both been charged with four counts of illegal hunting after evidence gathered by Northants Hunt Saboteurs of four separate incidents between November and December 2025 was provided to the Leicestershire Rural Crime Team.
Both are due to attend Leicester Magistrates court for plea hearings with Sam Jones due to attend on the 20th May (tomorrow) and Max Logan on the 1st June.
All four of these incidents occurred whilst Sam Jones was employed as huntsman of the Cottesmore Foxhounds, which he since left to join as huntsman with the Ledbury Hunt.
Blackmore and Sparkford Vale supporter Peter Brooks pleaded guilty at Yeovil Magistrates on 19th May 2026 to a totally unprovoked attack on a female Sabs from the South Wessex Hunt Saboteurs. The attack took place on 25th October 2025, causing her a neck injury that required hospital treatment. Brooks was sentenced to pay £125 fine and £175 victim compensation for what is now his second conviction for assaulting a female Sab.
HUNT NEWS
West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs report that Olivia Forsyth has resigned as a Director of Warwickshire Hunt Ltd, with effect from 30/04/26.
The Warwickshire Hunt has replaced William Goffe with Jack Weedon. Newly promoted as Huntsman, Weedon already has a Conditional Caution for a Section 4A Public Order Offence, after being filmed swearing at a West Midland Hunt Saboteur.
IN OTHER NEWS
After a 12-week consultation, the Sentencing Council published a new guideline for sentencing hare coursing offences on 14/05/26. It includes “𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 — 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘵 18 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.”
On 06/05/26, ITV News covered the game shooting industry with an undercover reporter from a game bird farm.
The British Film Institute has selected two films showing illegal hunting provided by the West Midlands Hunt Sabs to be held in their film archive.
The Hunt Saboteurs Association report that the badger cull is effectively over. The final licence for Cumbria Area 73 will not be renewed for 2026.
In Northern Ireland, a Bill which aims to ban hunting wild animals with dogs has been reintroduced at Stormont. Fox hunting is presently legal in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin has recently declared support for a ban.
On Sat 09/05/26, the League Against Cruel Sports hosted a rally at Westminster, in collaboration with the Hunt Saboteurs Association. Chris Packham, who recently added his contribution to the 100 year celebration of David Attenborough, was amongst the speakers.
Members of AAF were also there.
MINK HUNTING
The first of the season’s mink hunts, attempted by the Dove Valley Mink Hounds, was successfully sent back to kennels by the combined actions of the Northants Hunt Saboteurs, the West Yorkshire Hunt Saboteurs, Nottingham Hunt Saboteurs, and the West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs.
AND A REMINDER:-
If you haven’t yet filled in the Government’s Consultation, please do! The closing date of June 18th is now less than four weeks away!
