police, Court and prosecutions

Northamptonshire Police say they are using antisocial legislation to act against hunts. The sort of complaints they have received regarding hunts are:
Road obstruction by horses and hounds.
Hounds out of control and chasing foxes or deer (including some kills).
Trespassing on private land.
Hounds out of control in villages/gardens.
Badger sett interference.
Anti-social behaviour.

West Midland Hunt Sabs report that next week, the Warwickshire Hunt will be in Birmingham Magistrates Court to discuss their appalling behaviour on the roads. Hopefully, the CPN will be upheld. They will be in court on 15^th and 17^th August.

On Tuesday 1st Aug, in Yeovil Magistrates Court, a member of the Cotley Hunt pleaded not guilty to an assault that took place on Boxing Day. The trial is expected to take place on 27th November. Two weeks ago the Cotley Hunt were temporarily banned from land owned by Stockland Parish Council.

James Collie of the Quorn Hunt now has a conviction for criminal damage. Loughborough Magistrates’ Court has found him guilty of criminal damage to one of the sabs’ cameras and he was ordered to pay £300 compensation, and £384 court costs. He has a previous conviction for battery. The court costs appear to have been reduced because he claimed poverty.

Dawn Otterburn, a Sinnington Hunt member, admitted using a mobile phone while driving on 17/9/22. She avoided having her driving licence endorsed for using the phone while driving. Members of the Hunt had been advised by the police to take photographs of “the men“, presumably hunt monitors or sabs. She claimed she thought she was following a police instruction. She may not have had her licence endorsed, however Harrogate Magistrates did fine her £129 and ordered her to pay £52 Surcharge, and £85 costs.

bad news for hunts

The South Downs and Eridge Hunt will not be able to hold their usual Boxing Day meet in Lewes, Sussex. This is because AAF Sussex jumped in and booked the same road at the same time for their own event on Boxing Day. Their application was successful, and the Hunt’s was not. AAF Sussex are holding a wheelbarrow race to collect donations for the food bank.

United Utilities have announced they intend to ban grouse shooting on their land.

Sum Up, a company that provides credit card readers to businesses, refused to accept payments made to the Oakley Hunt part way through their point-to-point fundraising day. The Oakley Hunt had registered as a hunt supporters club, but Sum Up’s business policy is not to provide services to questionable organisations that don’t fit their criteria. Hunts are not approved. It must have been very annoying for the hunt to lose their payment system just when they needed it the most.  Sum Up’s action has generated interest in the banking support of other hunts. Lloyd’s Bank has now been named as providing services to the Ledbury and the North Cotswold Hunts. The Co-op Bank does not support blood sport organisations.