31st October 2007

Britain's Billion Pound Game Shooting Industry Exposed

It's the perfect day for shooting. The early morning mist burns slowly off the hillsides of mid-Wales and the sun reflects from a million tiny dew drops.

High in the mountains of Montgomeryshire, the song of distant gunfire echoes across the wilderness. The shooting season is in full swing and a dozen tweed-clad men blast away at flocks of fluttering pheasant and partridge. It's a scene that's as much a part of the autumnal countryside as frosty mornings and a glowing log fire.

Game shooters are drawn to the sport by the ideal of man against wild nature. But the Daily Mail can reveal the hidden truth behind Britain's game shooting industry: the birds are now "farmed" in battery cages. Supposedly "wild" birds are bred on an industrial scale ready to serve as little more than feathered target practice for clients willing to pay thousands of pounds for the privilege

30th October 2007

Prince Harry quizzed by police about shooting of rare birds

Prince Harry and a close friend have been interviewed by police after two rare and legally protected birds of prey were killed on the royal family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk last week.

The prince is understood to have been out shooting on the estate last Wednesday evening, with a friend believed to be from the Van Cutsem family, when witnesses saw two hen harriers in flight being shot, an offence under wildlife protection legislation which carries a prison sentence of up to six months or a £5,000 fine.

Sources have told the Guardian that the prince and his friend were the only people known to be out shooting on the estate last Wednesday evening, and were quickly identified to Norfolk police by the Prince of Wales's staff. It is understood both men were interviewed in person, but have denied any involvement in the incident

28th October 2007

Widdecombe's bid to tighten hunting ban

Attempts are being made to tighten up the ban on hunting with hounds this week, as the season gets under way

Police and politicians are to meet at Westminster amid claims that hunts are routinely breaking the law and killing foxes illegally.

The meeting has been called by Ann Widdecombe, the Conservative MP for Maidstone and the Weald, who is a prominent opponent of the sport.

She is calling for police to enforce the legislation more powerfully and is to show video footage that she claims includes "dozens" of instances of "blatant" flouting of the Act, as well as an alleged assault on a hunt monitor

26th October 2007

'Disgust' over white stag death

The shooting of an extremely rare white stag has been described by South West farmers as "disgusting".

The animal's carcass was found headless after being shot by a poacher on the Devon and Cornwall border.

Farmers and gamekeepers had kept quiet about the stag's whereabouts for years in an attempt to protect him

26th October 2007

Rare birds shot at Queen's Sandringham estate

Police have been called in to the Queen's Sandringham home after two of the rarest birds of prey in England were shot dead.

Two hen harriers were downed as they flew across the Dersingham Bog nature reserve on the 20,000-acre estate in Norfolk. The birds are protected and the culprit, who has not been found, faces a fine of up to £5,000 and up to six months in jail.

Stuart Burgess, a spokesman for Natural England which manages the bog, said: "There are only about 20 breeding females in the country and they are in danger of disappearing."

The organisation complained to police after one of its employees and two members of the public saw the birds downed

24th October 2007

Appeal over badger baiters' dog

The RSPCA is trying to find the owners of a dog, which was left by two youths who were using it for badger baiting in Wirral woodland.

Two dog walkers spotted the pair in woods in Puddington, encouraging four dogs to enter a badger sett.

One of the men ran after the pair, but they escaped with three of the four Staffordshire bull terrier and Patterdale cross-breeds.

The RSPCA hopes someone will recognise the dog and identify its owners

19th October 2007

Hunting duo appeal is turned down

Two men convicted of breaking the law prohibiting hunting have had their appeal against conviction rejected.

Richard Down and Adrian Pillivant, both members of the Quantock Staghounds, were convicted after being filmed by the League Against Cruel Sports.

The league filmed the pair chasing a deer for more than an hour, and the hunters were convicted

18th October 2007

David Cameron link to violent hunt

EXCLUSIVE: Tory Cameron linked to hunt with some of nastiest followers in Britain

Violent huntsmen who attacked elderly protesters helped propel Tory leader David Cameron to power, the Mirror can reveal today.

Members of the Heythrop Hunt have been captured on video roughing up demonstrators and damaging their cars. But they helped Mr Cameron get elected as an MP in 2001 by canvassing votes for him.

Mr Cameron openly supports hunting and pledges to end the ban on using hounds if elected. He has ridden with the Heythrop, has friends who work for it and its members work as Tory activists to help him in election campaigns.

But leaked documents reveal the sickening violence behind this hunt

(To read the full newspaper article, click here)

16th October 2007

MAN ARRESTED AFTER HOUNDS' ATTACK

Police arrested a man following an incident in which a Jack Russell was attacked by hounds from the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt in Somerset.John Pettinger's pet terrier Spike has only just come home from the vet's, two weeks after the incident, which happened in a field at Charlton Horethorne, near Wincanton.

The hunt has permission from the farmer who owns the land to exercise the pack in the field

15th October 2007

Gang fined for setting dogs on rats

DETECTIVES trapped a Liverpool gang who dug up rats and then watched them being ripped apart by a pack of dogs. Seven men were caught taking part in the hunt on private farm land in St Helens.

The men went to the Mossborough Estate, in Dairy Farm Road. Armed with spades they pinpointed rat runs and pulled up sods of earth to expose the rodents. A police helicopter monitored the gang from above as the spaniels and terriers ripped the rats to pieces

14th October 2007

Badger baiting brothers snared by tracking device

TWO brothers who set their terriers on a badger have been given tough sentences by a court.

Dean Jones, 27 and Dale Jones, 25, both from Sturry, near Canterbury, each received a five-month suspended prison sentence, 250 hours community service and were ordered to both pay costs totalling £4,000.

The pair had denied a string of offences after being caught in Denge Woods at Mystole, near Chartham, with three terriers near a badger’s sett.

But they were convicted of attempting to injure a badger, making the dogs enter the sett, causing unnecessary suffering to the dogs and abandoning them

13th October 2007

Hound trailing could resume

HOUND trailing could resume as early as Wednesday, the News & Star can reveal, thanks to Workington MP Tony Cunningham.

A new outbreak of foot and mouth disease put an early end to this season’s competition last month with all trails cancelled after another case of the disease was confirmed.

However, the News & Star can confirm that as long as no further cases are reported in coming days the trailing can resume.

Mr Cunningham has been in talks with Environment Secretary Hilary Benn’s office to see if any restrictions could be lifted.

He said: “It is such a unique sport to the area that the office had to do some research

13th October 2007

Deer hunter: Middleton under fire for going shooting with Royals

Kate Middleton takes aim as she goes deer shooting with the Royals for the first time yesterday – in a move that has infuriated animal-rights campaigners.

The girlfriend of Prince William was being expertly coached by two ghillies shortly before joining the main deerstalking party on the Queen's Balmoral estate.

Prince Charles looked on as Kate, clad in camouflage gear and aiming a fearsome hunting rifle in the prone position, fired at a practice target.

11th October 2007

Hunt supporter guilty of attack on protester

A 69-year-old hunt supporter has been found guilty of GBH after he broke a protester's arm with his walking stick.

John Hawkins, of Singers Farm, Henfield Road, Cowfold, denied causing grievous bodily harm to Lynn Phillips but today a jury at Brighton Crown Court returned a majority guilty verdict.

During the trail the court heard violence had flared at the end of a meeting of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt on January 29 2005. Hawkins hit Ms Phillips once on the head and again on the arm with his walking stick as groups of pro and anti-hunt supporters gathered on Spear Hill, at Shipley, near Horsham.

10th October 2007

Hunting ban 'breaches human rights'

The ban on hunting with dogs violates the fundamental human rights of thousands of people whose livelihood and way of life revolve around the meet and the chase, the House of Lords heard today. Richard Gordon, QC, began the latest legal challenge to the 2004 Hunting Act by saying: “There are many for whom hunting is a core part of their lives and the rural communities in which they live." He added: “The social network of many individuals is made up entirely of those who hunt. The ban jeopardises their social life, working life and family life.”

Between 6,000 and 8,000 were expected eventually to lose their jobs, he said, and many would also lose the homes that went with the jobs. Others would lose businesses and the commercial “goodwill” attached to them

10th October 2007

QUICK REPEAL FOR HUNT BAN

The fox-hunting ban could be scrapped "quickly and easily" by a Conservative government, the head of the Countryside Alliance said last night.Simon Hart, who is also a Tory candidate, said when Labour came to power in 1997 there were "1001 other things rural areas were crying out for", and the ban should never been given priority.

Mr Hart said: "It was never about people chasing foxes, it started as a bit of political party management and it was always about managing the Labour party, keeping rebellious backbenchers happy.

"The legislation, whether people approve of it or not, people don't think it's the finest piece of work ever to come out of Westminster."Repealing it is not the Conservatives paying back favours to rural chums, it's about doing away with a piece of legislation which is sub-standard."

David Cameron has already indicated that he will scrap the ban if he becomes Prime Minister

10th October 2007

Fox Hunting: Lords to rule on human rights claim against ban

The Countryside Alliance and the Union of Country Sports Workers are using European legislation to challenge the 2004 Hunting Act

A long-running legal battle against the ban on fox hunting will be heard by the House of Lords on Wednesday, in what will be the start of an appeal that will consider several legal challenges that have been made under European human rights and trade laws

8th October 2007

Hunt nut's net threat of aggro

Bloodsport fanatics are using the Facebook website to threaten opponents of the hunting ban. One wrote on the networking forum: "It really needs a bunch of 'anti antis' to go around and control/handle the scum.

"Hunting folk need to be more willing to give them some of their own medicine." Days later, the same person urged huntsmen to "have the hardcore crew move in and dish some beats if they step out of line!"

Tania McCrea-Steele, of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said: "Those who use violence against hunt monitors should be aware that they will be prosecuted."

Charlotte Fiander, from the Countryside Alliance said: "We do not condone the use of violence."

5th October 2007

NI ban on hunting Irish hares extended

A ban on the killing, taking and trade of Irish hares was today extended in Northern Ireland for another five months.

Stormont Environment Minister Arlene Foster said the latest temporary ban - which comes into operation on November 1st and lasts until March 31st - was intended to protect hare numbers rather than outlaw coursing.

4th October 2007

Huntsmen appeal ruling reserved

Judgement has been reserved in the appeal case of two Somerset men convicted of illegally hunting deer. Richard Down and Adrian Pullivant, of the Quantock Staghounds, were convicted in June and each fined £500.

The case against them was based largely on video evidence gathered by the League Against Cruel Sports

4th October 2007

Fine for gamekeeper who kept stock of banned pesticides

A GAMEKEEPER who kept a quantity of deadly, banned pesticides has been fined by a court. Richard McMorn was arrested following a joint investiugation involving Northumbria Police, the RSPB and Natural England, amid fears that the toxins were being used to kill wildlife.

But solicitors representing the defendant told magistrates at Berwick that despite extensive inquiries no such evidence had been found

4th October 2007

HORROR AS HOUNDS SAVAGE PET TERRIER

The heartbroken owners of a pet dog have spoken of their devastation after it was mauled in an attack by hounds last week.

On Monday morning John Pettinger was walking his nine-month-old Jack Russell called Spike on its lead when it was pounced on by a 30-strong pack belonging to the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt.

Mr Pettinger, aged 60, managed to break them free but only after Spike suffered serious injuries and "will never be the same again."

4th October 2007

Pro-hunt supporter 'beat up' protester

A 69-year-old hunt supporter inflicted GBH on a protester by breaking her arm with his walking stick, a court heard.

John Hawkins lashed Lynn Phillips with the stick twice, a day after the Government announced a ban on fox-hunting, it was alleged.

Ms Phillips said she was left screaming in pain by the attack. She told the court: "I thought I was going to die. I was hysterical." Hawkins denies causing grievous bodily harm at the trial at Brighton Crown Court

4th October 2007

Badger killer avoids prison term

A father-of-five has been sentenced to 90 days in prison, suspended for two years, for illegally killing a badger by lamplight. Mark Paddock, 37, of Aintree Close, Leegomery, Telford, will also have to observe a night-time curfew and do 200 hours of unpaid community work.

He was found guilty on Wednesday of illegally hunting and killing a badger at night - with his two lurchers. Speaking after the trial Paddock said his case fell on "deaf ears". 

3rd October 2007

Man guilty of illegal badger kill

A man has been convicted of illegally killing a badger while out lamping - hunting at night - with his two dogs. Mark Paddock, 37, of Aintree Close, Leegomery, Telford, encouraged his lurchers Sally and Buster to attack the animal on 14 December 2005.

He had denied a charge of lamping, claiming he had been out "rabbiting" when his dogs went for the badger and he had killed it for humane reasons. But a district judge at Telford Magistrates Court decided he was lying

3rd October 2007

Hunting duo deny breaking the law

Two men have appeared in court to appeal against their convictions after being found guilty of illegally hunting deer with hounds.

Richard Down, 44, and Adrian Pillivant, 36, of the Quantock Staghounds were convicted by magistrates in June.

Anti-hunt campaigners filmed two hounds as they chased deer across Exmoor a year after the Hunting Act made hunting with hounds illegal

2nd October 2007

Man charged with badger hunting

A 37-year-old man has gone on trial accused of hunting a badger after paraphernalia and mobile phone footage was found at his house. Mark Paddock, of Aintree Close, Leegomery, Telford, denies a charge of lamping - hunting the animal with a bright light in 2005 and 2006.

Three clips of dogs attacking a badger were found on his phone, Telford Magistrates' Court heard. His two lurchers had injuries consistent with badger hunting