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A Dulverton Farmers huntsman has been found guilty of assault after he rode his horse at hunt monitors.
But, after a seven-hour trial today, West Somerset magistrates sitting at Minehead ordered him to pay £100 compensation to Ms Nichola, and a fine of £100 Speaking after the trial, Ms Nichola said: "The verdict is as it should be. "I was frightened out of my life." Dramatic video footage of the incident was shown during the trial, showing the events which happened at around midday near Clayford Farm on March 15, when Ms Nichola, and fellow hunt monitor Ivor Annets, both members of the League Against Cruel Sports, were filming the hunt with video cameras from a gate. As hunt members, including Allibone, mounted on his horse, Ginger, came through the gate, Ms Nichola, who continued to film throughout the incident, could be heard saying: "I will call the police if you intimidate us." Allibone was then heard saying: "You want to see intimidation...." Ms Nichola: "Oh God, no. Call the police quickly. They've ridden their horses at us." Allibone: "Put your hand down. If you wave your hands around what do you expect....bloody hell. He didn't do it deliberately. You frightened him." Ms Nichola told the court: "The hunt master came through the gate first, followed by three other huntsmen. "Then to my horror and astonishment, one rode past me and backed her horse across me. "The horse's flank was inches from my face. "I was frozen to the spot, and petrified. I was fearful I was going to be pushed into the hedge." She said: "Allibone was maneuvering his horse backwards and forwards close to me. "I started screaming Go away'." "I thought the horse might rear up and the hooves come down on my head. It was terrifying." Allibone, who denied riding his horse at the monitors, said: "I was trying to control my horse. I wasn't trying to be nasty. "I meant to say 'I could show you intimidation if I wanted to' but my horse shot forward and I didn't have time to finish the sentence. "I was quite shaken at the time." Sentencing Allibone, chairman of the bench Clive Powell told him: "Ms Nichola felt intimidated and wanted to call the police. "You over-reacted, and your words, and the actions with your horse, and the tone you used, constituted assault. "What followed immediately after that went out of control, and went beyond what was intended. He added: "The League Against Cruel Sports and the hunts have to co-exist. It's a matter for both sides to exercise restraint." Speaking after the trial, Alison Hawes, spokesman for the Countryside Alliance, said: "This case should never have come to court. "We don't believe for one instant Ms Nichola was frightened for her life. "It's one thing to film the activity of hunting, but quite another to stick video cameras in your face." TakenFrom:
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Anthony Allibone, 49, of The Kennels, East Anstey,
had pleaded not guilty to assault on pensioner Yvonne Nichola,
66, who was monitoring the hunt near Brushford when the incident
happened in March last year.