28th April 2008

Badger bait appeal win

A MIDDLESBROUGH man who took part in the cruel practice of badger baiting, leaving his terrier with terrible injuries, has won a cut in his prison sentence. John William Lee was accused of trying to take badgers on the edge of woods near Yarm.

He walked up Yarm High Street with two dogs, one bleeding heavily from its chin, on January 26, 2007. The terrier was used for badger taking, said John Ellwood, prosecuting for the RSPCA. It also had puncture wounds and scarring to its foreleg and chest - typical injuries caused by a badger attacking a terrier sent into its sett.

Lee, 40, of Ferndale Avenue, carried a spade, a torch, a bag, nets and a knife said to be for disabling a badger, a court heard previously

25th April 2008

Four men admit hare coursing on private farmland

FOUR men who were caught hare coursing in Whittlesey have been ordered to pay fines and court costs totalling almost £2,800.

The four men, three of whom are from Shropshire with the fourth unable to be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to hare coursing at Peterborough Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court heard that on January 12 this year the men entered private farmland at Angle Bridge Corner in Whittlesey with dogs. They were spotted by farm workers, who called police

23rd April 2008

ASBOs imposed to stop men from hare coursing

TWO men have been made the subject of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order to stop them hare coursing near Boston.

Kevin Nicholson, 41, and Mark Nicholson, 43, appeared before District Judge Richard Blake, sitting at Skegness Magistrates' Court, and admitted trespassing at Black Drove, Midville, on January 15 in pursuit of game.

They both had previous convictions for hare coursing, the court was told last Tuesday.

Kevin Nicholson, of Surtees Street, Darlington, and Mark Nicholson, of Kildale Moor Place, Darlington, were both fined £500 and ordered to pay £35 costs and a £15 surcharge

22nd April 2008

Badger deaths are investigated

The RSPCA is investigating whether some farmers have taken a proposed cull of badgers into their own hands. Four animals were found dead in a field near Crymych, in Pembrokeshire on 18 April. Tests are being carried out on their bodies as there were no visible wounds on the badgers, the charity said.

The Welsh Assembly Government announced a cull of badgers earlier this month as part of a pilot project to stamp out tuberculosis in cattle. However the location of the area and details of the cull have yet to be decided.

RSPCA inspector Gemma Black said: "These badgers died in suspicious circumstances, but we need the public to help us pursue this matter. "It may be that some farmers have decided to kill these badgers following the Welsh Assembly Government's decision to cull badgers as part of the campaign to eradicate TB in cattle

15th April 2008

Son of Bryan Ferry charged with attacks and robbery

The son of rock star Bryan Ferry has been charged with attacking and robbing two women anti-fox hunt monitors.

Otis Ferry, 25, friend of Sienna Miller, allegedly wrestled a video camera from them after he spotted the pair filming him.

Another man is said to have broken a window of the women's car and hit one with a radio antenna he snapped off the roof.

They then apparently rode off on their horses as police were called. The women, who had been watching for illegal fox hunting, had to be treated for shock and bruising. 

Officers arrested Ferry at his home the next day

14th April 2008

HUNTERS' SICK STUNT IS MEANT TO SCARE ME OFF

An anti hunt campaigner has accused prohunt supporters of intimidation tactics after a dead fox was dumped on the roof of her car this weekend.

Hunt monitor Helen Weeks, from West Coker, near Yeovil, was left shaken and distressed when she and husband Paul discovered the creature's bloody corpse outside her house yesterday morning. Mrs Weeks explained: "My husband was in the kitchen and from the window, you can see part of the car.

"He noticed there was something on the roof so he went out to have a look.

 "Then he came back and told me what he'd found and we both went out."

The body of the male fox, believed to be about a year old, had been dumped on the car in what Mrs Weeks says is a clear message from the hunting fraternity, warning her against continuing her campaign to ensure hunting laws are not broken at meets in Somerset and Dorset

8th April 2008

Man arrested over badger deaths

A gamekeeper has been arrested following the deaths of six badgers in Dumfries and Galloway.

Police and wildlife welfare officers raided a farm near Moffat after a tip-off that snares were being laid and the protected animals being killed.

As a result a 57-year-old man - who also works as a land manager - faces charges under the Protection of Badgers Act and the Wildlife Protection Act. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal at Dumfries.

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it had been pleased at how it had worked with Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary on the case.

8th April 2008

Foxes found torn to death by dogs

POLICE investigating the death of four foxes in a city park say the animals may be being deliberately targeted by dog owners. Four foxes have been found dead in Craigmillar Castle Park, off Old Dalkeith Road, in the past year.

Vets carried out a post mortem examination after the discovery of the latest animal last week. They found puncture wounds, tearing of the muscle and fractured ribs – all consistent with an attack by a large dog.

Animal welfare officers are concerned the foxes may have been killed by one or more dogs

4th April 2008

Hunt trio cleared of robbery

THREE hunt supporters have been cleared of robbing two "saboteurs" of their camcorders at a meet near Alresford.

A four-week trial at Winchester Crown Court, which ended today (April 3), saw Peter Bogris, 30, of Petersfield, George Juer, 26, of Alton, and Wayne Spencer, 40, Billingshurst, West Sussex, all accused of robbery and affray.

They were said to have attacked "hunt monitors" Iris Luppa and Stella Hardy, both from the Reading area, at a meet of the Hampshire Hunt on February 24 last year. The prosecution alleged that the trio took the cameras by force as the two women were "surrounded" by hunt followers on a path in countryside near Preston Candover.

3rd April 2008

'Cruel' badger-baiters sentenced

Two men have been given six-month suspended jail sentences after they were caught badger-baiting with dogs.

Simon Evans, 40, of Pencader, and Peter McGuigan, 37, from Llandysul, must also carry out 240 hours of community work.

District judge Mark Layton, sitting at Llanelli magistrates, said they were guilty of "sickening and appalling acts of cruelty".

The friends were also banned from keeping dogs for seven years and must pay £4,000 each in costs

3rd April 2008

Hunt may be prosecuted

POLICE and prosecutors will decide next week whether to take action against a Cotswold hunt accused of breaching the anti-hunting laws. The Heythrop Hunt has denied accusations by anti-hunting campaigners who claimed foxes had been killed during its hunts.

Detectives and officials from the Crown Prosecution Service are to meet and Det Con Chris Edgell said that so far no decision had been taken about whether to investigate further complaints against the hunt. Previous investigations over the past few months had not resulted in any arrests, he said

1st April 2008

Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association suspends two hunts

THE Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association (IMFHA) has suspended the Avondhu Foxhounds of Co Cork and the Ormond, of Co Tipperary after allegations of maltreatment of a fox.

Hunting bosses met at the weekend to discuss the alleged behaviour of members of the Avondhu Foxhounds during a joint meet with the Coniston, a Fell pack visiting from Cumbria, and the Ormond at Fermoy on 8 March.

But no decision over disciplinary action had been made on Monday. Brian Munn, spokesman for the IMFHA, told H&H: "The committee has met but the issue is not entirely resolved." Mr Munn said the allegations had come from within the Avondhu Hunt