27th September 2007

Gamekeeper sacked after shooting geese

A gamekeeper has been sacked after shooting Canada geese in front of a horrified mum and her family. The man, who worked for the Denton-based Welby Estate, was dismissed after killing a number of birds with a shotgun at Denton Reservoir.

Hannah Bristow, who lives in Grantham, witnessed the killings while walking with her sister and her children on Saturday.

As the family was walking along the shore of the reservoir a man sped past on a quad bike and began shooting at the sky

25th September 2007

Celebrity chef faces court over hare coursing allegations

CELEBRITY chef Clarissa Dickson Wright and sporting baronet Sir Mark Prescott are to face private prosecution for allegedly hunting hares with dogs in North Yorkshire.

Details of the case emerged yesterday following a separate hearing at Scarborough Magistrates' Court involving five other defendants – including Yorkshire's former champion racehorse trainer Peter Easterby.

Easterby, 78 – charged under his birth name of Miles Henry Easterby – of Habton Grange Farm, Great Habton, is accused of permitting land to be used for hare coursing and attending hare coursing.

Elizabeth Dixon, 44, of Appleton-le-Street, near Malton, is charged with knowingly facilitating a hare coursing event, while John Shaw, 54, of Welburn Manor, Welburn, near Kirkbymoorside, faces an allegation of permitting land to be used for hare coursing

Andrew Lund-Watkinson, 56, of Pine View Lodge, Newton-on-Rawcliffe, and Jacqueline Teal, 42, of Scarborough Road, Norton, are accused of attending a hare coursing event.

The charges relate to an alleged hare coursing event at Easterby's farm at Great Habton, North Yorkshire, in March of this year

22nd September 2007

THREE ACCUSED OF BREAKING HUNTING ACT  

A date has been set for the trial of three men accused of hunting illegally in the Westcountry. The members of the Minehead Harriers will appear before magistrates in Taunton on October 8. They face allegations under the Hunting Act, in a prosecution brought by the League Against Cruel Sports. It is understood the organisation has footage which it claims shows the trio hunting illegally.

Papers have been served on Sydney Westcott huntmaster Sydney Westcott, as well as William Goffe and Gary Bradley. All three stand accused under the Hunting Act, but Gary Bradley, the hunt's whipper-in, is also alleged to have committed a public order offence

20th September 2007

Eight people arrested for deer poaching

Eight people were arrested on suspicion of deer poaching near Colsterworth in the early hours of Monday.

A member of the public called police at about 1.30am after spotting two vehicles in a field in Honey Pot Lane.

Officers went to the field, but found the vehicles had already left the area

17th September 2007

FOOT-AND-MOUTH PREVENTS HUNTING

All hunting has been suspended by the latest foot-and-mouth scare.

Hunts which would normally begin in early September have been halted while the ban on movement of livestock is in place.

Auctions in sheep and cattle at Melton cattle market, which only resumed normal business for the first time last week after the earlier outbreak in Surrey, remain suspended while the movement ban remains.

On Saturday, restrictions were lifted so animals could be taken to slaughter but livestock could not be moved or traded for any other reason

14th September 2007

Gamekeepers free as badger charge dropped

A GROUP of young gamekeepers walked free from court after charges of badger-baiting were dropped against them.

The men - Scott Collins, 19 (pictured right); Derek Kelly, 22 (pictured left); Adam Lennon, 21; and Greig Withers, 21; - all received fines at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday after admitting reckless interfering and blocking up badger setts last year.

But a string of other charges relating to animal cruelty and attacking badgers were not pursued by fiscals.

The move was criticised by police and animal welfare groups who attended the hearing

13th September 2007

Police issue warning to illegal hare coursers

WITH the illegal hare coursing season set to begin, officers are launching the successful Operation Dornier for the fourth year running.

Insp Dick Lowings, part of the Rural Community Action Team (RCAT), said: "We will be taking positive action to target hare coursers by building on past successes.

"Over the last three years hare coursing has significantly reduced but we are not taking our eye off the ball. We will continue to tackle this issue in a robust manner and we will prosecute offenders, spearheaded by this RCAT campaign. Our aim is to continue this success and ensure we severely disrupt and convict those who are involved.

"Hare coursing is not only illegal but also extremely disruptive for the rural community."

Anyone with any information about hare coursing should contact police on 0845 456 4564.

4th September 2007

Police hunt the hunters

WITH the illegal hare coursing season set to begin Cambridgeshire police are launching the successful Operation Dornier for the fourth year running.

Inspector Dick Lowings, part of the Rural Community Action Team (RCAT), said: "We will be taking positive action to target hare coursers by building on past successes.

"Over the last three years hare coursing has significantly reduced, but we are not taking our eye off the ball. We will continue to tackle this issue in a robust manner, and we will prosecute offenders, spearheaded by this RCAT campaign.

"If any members of the public are aware of hare coursing taking place, please call the police"

4th September 2007

Baiters blamed for badger deaths

Badger baiters are to blame for the deaths of three animals in Fife, police have said. A badger, a fox and a hare were all found dead at Castle Walk in Crail over a three-week period.

Fife Constabulary said a post mortem examination carried out on the badger revealed that baiters might have been responsible for the deaths