30th November 2007

Huntsman conviction appeal upheld

The first huntsman to be convicted of breaching the Hunting Act has had his conviction overturned.

Tony Wright of the Exmoor Foxhounds was found guilty of hunting a wild animal with dogs after a prosecution by the League Against Cruel Sports in 2006

29th November 2007

PRO-HUNT LOBBY TO KEEP ON FIGHTING

A legal bid to prove the ban on hunting with dogs contravenes the human rights of people in the countryside has been thrown out by the Law Lords. Last night campaigners vowed to take their case to the European Courts despite the unanimous verdict that the Hunting Act 2004 must stand to prevent animal cruelty. But Westcountry hunts last night insisted the welfare of wildlife had worsened since the Act became law.

The House of Lords, the highest court in the land, yesterday dismissed the challenge by the Countryside Alliance and other campaigners to the lawfulness of the Hunting Act. It is the second time an appeal against the act has been rejected

29th November 2007

Grandson watched as hounds ripped fox apart

A WOMAN and her grandson have been left traumatised after a fox was torn to shreds by hunting hounds in their Worcestershire garden. Elizabeth Cash was with her five-year-old grandson at her home in Upton Snodsbury when the hounds entered her garden.

"We were suddenly surrounded by a pack of very noisy and excited fox hounds tearing around our garden, trampling over flower beds, pushing through fencing and terrorising my grandson who was lost among the pack of hounds," she said.

The incident happened last Saturday when the pack was flushing out a fox, which the hunt later planned to kill using a bird of prey - a practice still legal in Britian

28th November 2007

Lords throw out hunt ban challenges

The Law Lords threw out the latest challenges to the ban on hunting with dogs when they ruled that the Hunting Act did not contravene any human rights. The House of Lords, the highest court in the land, rejected an appeal two years ago in which the pro-hunt lobby claimed that the Parliament Act, used to force through the Hunting Act, was unconstitutional.

On Wednesday Lords Bingham, Hope, Rodger and Brown and Baroness Hale dismissed a second challenge by the Countryside Alliance and other campaigners to the lawfulness of the Hunting Act. The same panel of Law Lords also dismissed an appeal from the Scottish courts by Brian Friend and Jeremy Whaley, both members of the Union of Country Sports Workers.

They also claimed that the ban, introduced in Scotland under the Protection of Wild Mammals Act, is an infringement of their human rights

28th November 2007

Singer's son 'grabbed car's keys'

A paparazzi photographer has told a court he and a colleague were stuck on a road for hours when Otis Ferry snatched their car's ignition keys. Charles Pycraft and Ben Brett were trailing actress Sienna Miller in February when the incident happened, West London Magistrates' Court heard.

Mr Pycraft said Mr Ferry, 25, of Cross Houses, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, snatched and then discarded the keys

26th November 2007

Ferry son arrested

Pro-hunting campaigner Otis Ferry has been arrested after an incident in which two women claim they were attacked. Ferry, 25 - son of Roxy Music singer Bryan - was riding with the Heythrop Hunt in Tory leader David Cameron's constituency when he allegedly confronted two women in a car who were monitoring the hunt.

Afterwards both women saw a doctor. And they claimed that their video camera and satellite navigation system had been stolen

23rd November 2007

Top hunt probed in cruelty claim

The body in charge of Irish foxhunting is investigating claims that a fox was dug out of its den, tied up and then fed alive to hounds during a top hunt in Westmeath. The Irish Masters' of Foxhounds Association (IMFHA) has confirmed it is investigating the alleged barbaric incident which is said to have taken place during a Westmeath Hunt meet near Walderstown, Co Westmeath, on November 14.

Such activity is strictly prohibited under the Code of Conduct drawn up by the Irish Hunting Association and sanctioned by the Department of Agriculture and Food. Rule seven states: "In no circumstances will a live fox which has been dug out be thrown to the hounds."

A department spokesman confirmed they had been informed of the investigation and were monitoring the situation. The Westmeath Hunt, founded in 1854, is regarded as one of the country's most prominent hunts.

23rd November 2007

Isle of Wight hunting trial postponed over “burden of evidence”

The trial of four men connected with the Isle of Wight foxhounds was yesterday postponed. Four barristers, two solicitors, four defendants and a District Judge at Portsmouth Magistrates Court could not agree on where the "burden of evidence" lies in the case. And an answer has been requested from the High Court.

The four men, huntsman Stuart Trousdale, falconer Jamie Butcher and amateur whipper-in Liam Thom are charged with hunting a fox with dogs. Field master Malcolm Purcell is charged with hunting with dogs in the case, which is a private prosecution brought by the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS)

21st November 2007

HUNT PAIR ADMIT THEFT

The leader of a group of anti- hunt monitors has questioned the motives of two hunt supporters who stole a video camera from a woman during a confrontation at a meet.

Malcolm Scobie, 41, and David Gibbons, 52, were due to stand trial for robbery after a meet of the Avon Vale hunt near Melksham in October 2005.

20th November 2007

Date set for chef's trial for alleged hare-coursing

A CELEBRITY chef will be tried next April in connection with alleged hare-coursing. Clarissa Dickson Wright, 60, is accused of hunting hares with dogs and attending a hare-coursing event at Nunnington, Helmsley, on March 2, and two similar offences at Amotherby, near Malton, both North Yorkshire, on March 3. She has pleaded not guilty by letter.

Six others also stand accused, including racehorse trainer Sir Mark Prescott, who pleaded not guilty to the same charges

18th November 2007

How Densie Ward served an Asbo warning on her local hunt

After her village was terrorised by a pack of rampaging hounds, and their equally aggressive owners, Denise Ward decided to fight back.

The first time it happened was around two years ago, in mid-November. It was a beautiful day and a small group of us had got together in the hamlet. I was chatting to my elderly neighbour when we all heard a terrible noise. It was a bloodcurdling, snarling uproar – as if some wild animals were smashing about in the undergrowth.
A deer came crashing down through all the gardens in the hamlet, pursued by baying hounds. It leapt along the lane past a resident it was too terrified to notice, and back up again into the woods just behind my neighbours' house, where it ran frantically up and down the slope, crashing noisily around with the hounds close behind.

As we stood there helplessly, they caught it. It screamed piteously and we could hear the hounds savaging it in loud and hideous detail. It was horrific. It was so sudden and so violent it was like a car crash. No one knew what to do; we all just stood there

18th November 2007

Hunters you have been warned...

Hunt steward receives a warning under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 

Police have issued a warning to Christopher Curtis, a hunt steward with the Crawley and Horsham after harassing a hunt monitor.

Sergeant Philip of Sussex police wrote to say: "I am of the opinion having viewed the footage that you were subject to harassment by way of Mr Curtis blocking you from carrying out lawful activity, in this case filming, in a public place.  I have personally issued a harassment warning to him of which he has accepted."

Countryside Alliance Fundraiser cautioned

The man behind an anti hunt monitor website is a man called Andrew Leaver a Crawley and Horsham Hunt steward. 

He was arrested on November the 16, 2007 after taking photographs in a court building and putting one up on his website.

Taking photos or video "within the precincts of a court" is a serious offence and is arrestable without warrent. Mr Leaver however only recieved a formal police caution

16th November 2007

Hunters deny chasing fox

Police were called to an alleged fox hunt in Friday Woods, Colchester. A Berechurch resident called officers after spotting about 10 riders and about 30 hounds racing through the woods at noon on Wednesday. The caller claimed they had heard someone shout: "The fox went this way."

The Hunting Act 2004, which came into force in February 2005, makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with a dog. Under the legislation, hunting foxes with dogs is illegal, but hounds can be used to follow a pre-laid scent. In case of pest control, two dogs can be used to flush out a fox but it must then be killed by a bird of prey or shoot.

Police liaised with the Ministry of Defence, who own the land, and who were aware a hunt was taking place, but it was not meant to involve a fox. Officers interviewed the organiser of the hunt at the scene, who said they were following a scent left for the dogs earlier. The man said that the hunt may have disturbed a fox en route, but insisted they were carrying out a legal drag hunt only

16th November 2007

Gamekeeper illegally caged birds

A County Durham gamekeeper who kept wild birds has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service.

In October 2006 RSPCA inspectors and police found two goldfinches kept in cages on land belonging to Daniel Robinson, 42, from Bishop Auckland

15th November 2007

Service order for badger baiting

Wildlife protection agencies have expressed their disappointment after a man who admitted badger baiting was sentenced to community service. Craig Morrison, 22, from Dalry, Ayrshire, admitted three charges after his dogs mauled two badger cubs.

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, he was given 175 hours community service. The SSPCA said all agencies would be disappointed at the sentence which did "not really send the message that badger baiting was a serious crime".

Morrison had been charged with nine offences

9th November 2007

Man avoids jail after hunt attack

An elderly hunt supporter who broke the arm of a protester when he attacked her with his stick has avoided jail.

John Hawkins was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm at an earlier trial, and was given a suspended jail term at Hove Crown Court on Friday.

Hawkins, 69, of Cowfold, Sussex, struck Lynn Phillips during clashes at a hunt near Horsham in January 2005

8th November 2007

FOXHUNTING TODAY 'LIKE WATCHING PAINT DRY'

The first huntsman to be convicted of breaching the Hunting Act told an appeal court yesterday the pastime was now like "watching paint dry".

Tony Wright, 53, huntsman with the Exmoor Foxhounds, appealed against his conviction at Barnstaple Magistrates Court last year of hunting a wild animal with dogs, a charge he denied.

He was fined £500 with £250 costs under a private prosecution brought by the League Against Cruel Sports.

Richard Furlong, for the Crown Prosecution Service, which has taken over the case, said that on April 29, 2005, Wright hunted two foxes with two hounds on Exmoor in circumstances which were in "clear breach" of the Act

8th November 2007

Concern over badger baiting laws

Only four people have been prosecuted under new badger baiting laws despite one incident being reported every week, BBC Scotland has learned.

The law was changed in 2004 in an attempt to make it easier to prosecute people who interfere with badger setts.

But investigators said it was still often impossible to gather enough evidence against the organised gangs who trap and kill the animals.

7th November 2007

Two hen harriers dead, one prince questioned, no charges

It started as a quiet evening watching two of England's rarest birds of prey wheeling in the air over Dersingham nature reserve in Norfolk. The reserve's wen and two visitors gazed in admiration as the hen harriers circled slowly. Then came the muffled blast of a shotgun and the first bird fell from view. Then another shot, and the second bird plummeted down.

The shots came from the Queen's estate bordering the reserve at Sandringham, and the warden immediately raised the alarm. Norfolk police found themselves investigating the illegal killing of two protected birds of prey by someone on the royal family's land - offences which carry a six-month jail sentence or a £5,000 fine.
Last night, nearly two weeks after the hen harriers were shot on Wednesday October 24, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, had been interviewed as an official suspect by police, along with William van Cutsem, 28, a family friend, and David Clarke, 58, a Sandringham gamekeeper.

Despite an intensive police inquiry, no charges could be brought because "the bodies of the hen harriers have not been found". As a result, there was no forensic or ballistic evidence to study. And since all three suspects denied any knowledge of the incident, and there was no eyewitness testimony of who had fired the fatal shots, the case was closed. But, added the CPS, no one else was being sought.

6th November 2007

Appeal starts for first huntsman convicted under Hunting Act

The first huntsman to be prosecuted under the Hunting Act 2004 appeared in court yesterday to appeal his conviction. Tony Wright, huntsman of the Exmoor Foxhounds, appeared in Exeter Crown Court for the first day of his appeal. Like the Quantock Staghounds case last month, Tony Wright's appeal hinges on the exemption of flushing a fox using two hounds.

He was convicted by Barnstable Magistrates Court in August 2006 of hunting a wild mammal with dogs, in a prosecution brought privately by the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS). The Barnstable judge's ruling was based on video evidence filmed by LACS on 29 April 2005.

Tony Wright's Exeter Crown Court hearing is likely to last until Thursday, with a reserved judgement expected

2nd November 2007

Hunting ban has done little to cut deaths among our fox population

Bugles sounded up and down the country yesterday as the hunting season officially opened in a blaze of blood-red jackets and galloping steeds. Once the harbinger of death to the fox population, this is now the third season under Britain's controversial hunting ban.

But three years on, the fox may not be as safe as supporters of the ban had hoped after new figures show the average fox lives for just two years, almost a decade shorter than its natural life span in the wild.

Before the ban, hunts killed as many as 25,000 foxes each year, a number which John Bryant, a wildlife expert who specialises in the humane removal of foxes from urban areas, believes has remained largely unchanged in the past three years.

He said: "A fox is lucky to get passed its first birthday and even luckier to pass its second. It is a combination of factors, chiefly motor vehicles. They are also being shot by farmers, caught in snares and still hunted, despite the ban. I think it's had virtually no effect. They are constantly being persecuted for no good reason."

1st November 2007

Trauma for cat in gin trap ordeal

The RSPCA in Devon has warned people to look out for snares after a cat in Plymouth got its leg caught in an illegal gin trap.

Holly managed to make her way home to her owner with the trap still attached to her front leg. But vets fear the black cat may have to have its leg amputated if the wound does not heal properly

1st November 2007

Are licensed hunting monitors needed?

As hunts across the country mark the first day of the season, are licensed monitors needed to stop the fox hunting ban being broken?

Tory MP Anne Widdecombe said on Thursday that there was a "widespread ignoring" of the hunting ban and that monitors, who film hunts, should be licensed.

Under the 2004 Hunting Act - introduced in February 2005 - packs of dogs can no longer be used to chase wild foxes

1st November 2007

Badger baiting hotspot crackdown

A crackdown on a hotspot for badger baiting is underway in the Cynon Valley by police and environmentalists.

Rewards are being offered to people who report suspicious behaviour which leads to a successful prosecution, amid targeting of badger setts in the area.
The plea follows an increase in the number of incidents reported to wildlife police from the area.