Prue’s Tory MP son is hauled to court... for letting dog chase deer
The Tory MP son of TV chef Prue Leith is set to appear in court after his lockdown puppy allegedly ran amok among deer in a park.
Danny Kruger’s Jack Russell terrier Pebble is said to have ‘worried’ fallow deer in violation of regulations governing Royal Parks.
It is understood no animals were hurt, but the MP could still face a fine of £200 if found guilty. eton-educated Mr Kruger, 46, MP for Devizes in Wiltshire, had been expected to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court in London yesterday, but the case was adjourned until May 24
It is alleged that he allowed Pebble to chase, worry or injure a large herd of fallow deer in Richmond Park, south-west London, on March 20,
The Brexit- supporting son of Great British Bake Off judge Miss Leith, 81, and property developer Rayne Kruger was former prime minister David Cameron’s chief speechwriter and political secretary to Boris Johnson. he was made an MBe in 2017 for the work of crime prevention charity Only Connect, which he set up with his wife emma in 2005.
Yesterday, Mr Kruger kept his dog on a lead as he went for a stroll near his home in hammersmith, west London.
he told the Mail: ‘ On a walk with my family in Richmond Park our dog Pebble got a few hundred yards ahead of us and started chasing a herd of deer. No animal was hurt and I quickly got him back on his lead. I am very sorry for any distress we caused the deer. I am unable to say anything further at this time.’
The Tory, who has been an MP since 2019, has previously posted pictures on Facebook showing him with Pebble, who is understood to have become part of the family during lockdown last year.
Dog chases can prove fatal to deer, with some dying of shock. The British Deer Society has warned of the traumatic chases causing ‘ severe injuries and no alternative but to euthanise the unfortunate animal’.
It added: ‘Very often the dog’s owner is shocked and surprised that their normally docile pet could behave in this way.’
It advised that ‘particular care should be taken to keep dogs under close control’ when walking them in places with deer and other vulnerable wildlife. The society stressed: ‘This is especially important between the months of May and August when the newly-born young of most deer species are likely to be left alone while their mother feeds.’
Mr Kruger has previously campaigned against hare coursing, calling for police to seize dogs used in the illegal bloodsport.
Last September, he apologised after being spotted travelling on a train without wearing a mask in breach of Covid rules.
The problem of dogs chasing deer in Richmond was highlighted by pet Fenton in a YouTube video in 2011. he got away from owner Max Findlay who yelled ‘ Fenton! Jesus Christ!’ as he sprinted after him. The scene, caught on camera by a passer-by, attracted millions of views. A Royal Parks spokesman was last night unavailable for comment.