Police Court and Prosecutions
On 27th October 23, Stuart Radbourne, former huntsman for the disgraced Avon Vale, pleaded guilty to being jointly concerned with others in causing unnecessary suffering to a fox. The offence was contrary to the Animal Welfare Act, Section 4(1). The fox was dug out of a badger sett and thrown to hounds, which meant that it was “under the control of man, on a temporary basis”. He received an 18 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, has to pay £750 court costs and £128 to fund victim services.
Harry Billing of the Mendip Farmers Hunt has been found guilty of criminal damage to a sab vehicle. The incident occurred in March 2022. He has received 3 months conditional discharge, £622 court costs and £59 to the victim.
Capt Pearson, formerly of the Portman Hunt, and now with the South Dorset Hunt, was due in court on 31stOctober to answer charges of illegal hunting. It was postponed however, as (we hear) the CPS weren’t ready. In the meantime, Pearson has been videoed ONCE AGAIN hunting and killing a fox. Evidence from Weymouth Animal Rights has been passed to police who are investigating.
Lancashire Hunt Sabs report that Cumbria Police have charged a gamekeeper with firearm offences. The police had been shown where the remains of a shot badger and a shot buzzard had been hidden.
Hunt atrocities
The Flint and Denbigh Hunt have been caught trespassing, illegally hunting, and claiming they were on land permitted for trail hunting. They weren’t trail hunting and did not have permission. Natural Resources Wales (NRW), on whose land they trespassed, are investigating.
On Sat 28th, about eight sab groups sabbed the Surrey Union Hunt. They met a lot of violence. Several sab vehicles were surrounded and an attempt made to smash windows. The attackers smashed a wing mirror, stole a radio, injured a sab while trying to steal their keys, and attacked anyone who was filming. There is a lot of video evidence and this will be passed to the police.
While attending a cubbing meet of the Cheshire Hunt, sabs heard the huntsman repeatedly “burring”. This is a noise the huntsman makes with his tongue in order to “lift” a fox from its covert, so the hounds can hunt it. It is ONLY used in live hunting – it has no purpose otherwise. Sabs then heard (and recorded) this damning statement coming over the hunt’s radio “you’ve got to tell Rob to stop burring. Otherwise you are making it look obvious.” Reported by Cheshire Animal Rights Campaigns on 31st October.
On 21st October, The Farm and Feral Animal Sanctuary was invaded by the Dartmoor Hunt, causing havoc among the rescued animals. The hunt left a hound behind – it had collapsed and was no longer able to move. The fate of the hound is unknown. Nick Valentine (famous for the damning Hunting Office Webinar) relentlessly trolled the Sanctuary’s Facebook page, flinging abuse at the owners.
The HSA report that the Kimblewick Hunt is without a huntsman or hounds and their territory is being hunted by other packs. It would appear that the huntsman Guy Fitzearle has been sacked after beating a hound so severely that the poor animal subsequently died.
Sir Mark Rylance, Ricky Gervais and Twiggy are amongst figures who have approached the Prime Minister asking that it be made illegal for children to attend fox (and trail) hunts. Apart from the repulsiveness of the idea of teaching children how to be cruel to animals, it also prepares them for a life of deceit and lies. Furthermore, being out on a hunt exposes them to danger. 04/04/16, nine-year-old Bonnie Armitage was fatally injured when she was kicked by another horse while out with the Cotswold Hunt.18/11/21, The two-year-old daughter of the Hunt Master of the Bedale Hunt, Felicity Francis, died after falling from her pony, whilst out with the hunt.
Stag Hunting
The stag hunting season is over. The hunts will now turn their attention to killing the hinds.
On 28th October, the Devon and Somerset Staghounds illegally chased a stag on National Trust land on Exmoor. The NT are still making no effort that we can see to stop the illegal trespass and illegal hunting on their land.
‘Protect the Wild’ has produced a very good report from “the secret monitor“. It describes the antics of the staghounds and the hunters. Barbarity and depravity abound.
Ben Wallace, MP
Ben Wallace, the former Minister for Defence, has had an article in the Daily Telegraph. He is still banging the drum about legal trail hunting. The farce of trail hunting is so exposed now that Scottish law has made it illegal. He says where there is a hunt there will be thuggery. Indeed! And it is pleasing to be able to read reports about incidents like Harry Billing’s in the item above. The thuggery is integral to hunt bad conduct.
Quick News
- Cheshire Monitors have excellent video of their runner directing hounds away from the entrance to a badger sett.
- Toby, the huntsman from the Flint and Denbigh Hunt, broke his collarbone falling from his horse.
- ‘Wild Justice’ and ‘Northern Badger Group’ have won a judicial review which stops the proposed badger cull in Northern Ireland.
- Kent Hunt sabs report that they sabbed what was probably the “smallest meet in the world” of Kent Hounds
- “Horse and Hounds” published an article asking “Why should children go hunting?”
- AAF Activists group (private FB group) now has 1000 members.
Campaigning News – and Calls to Action
Boxing Day
AAF’s Boxing Day Focus group is challenging Boxing Day meets from Cornwall to Yorkshire, forcing some of them to go elsewhere and causing others to (finally) do things properly. Animal abusers are condemned by society – but the hunts are still meeting in town centres on Boxing Day, giving the entirely false impression that they are worthy operations. If there is one going on near you, please contact us to get it stopped info@actionagainstfoxhunting.org. To find out a bit more, listen to this (short and revealing) podcast. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2246044/episodes/13871539
North Yorkshire
The ban on trail hunting in North Yorkshire is being discussed at committee on 15th November. Easingwold Against Foxhunting and AAF Yorkshire are campaigning hard, asking councillors to use their influence. If you want to help, email paul.hildreth@actionagainstfoxhunting.org.
Weather permitting, Action Against Staghunting will be outside the National Trust AGM in Swindon. If you are interested in joining us, please email info@actionagainststaghunting.org
