Police step up their campaign against illegal hare coursing
ILLEGAL hunting is on the rise in Leicestershire due to hi-tech policing operations in neighbouring counties, according to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
Drones used by Lincolnshire Police as part of Operation Galileo have been used to target gangs which are using the vast expanse of fields for their blood-thirsty sport.
Now those violent criminals - who strike fear into the NFU’s members - are moving into Leicestershire.
There were more than 100 hare coursing incidents in the county in this year, up to June.
Thousands of pounds change hands in bets as cash is placed on which two hare coursing dogs - susually greyhounds or lurchers - will be the quickest to turn and catch the hare.
A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: “In Leicestershire, we have had 104 incidents of hare coursing this year to the end of June and we are working to find those responsible and will bring them to justice.
“Leicestershire Police takes all reports of hare coursing very seriously, and we would encourage anyone who suspects anyone of committing the offence to report it to us.
“We are working closely with forces across the East Midlands and have a number of joint operations planned in the coming months. We will be sending out information to the rural communities closer to the time of these targeted operations and we will be asking for help from community intelligence to make the operations more successful.”
In October, officers from Lincolnshire were joined by specialist officers from the East Midlands Operational Support Service (EMOpSS) including officers from Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire using a drone to help track the illegal coursers as part of Operation Galileo.
Leicestershire officers were involved in the arrests of three men in that operation.
Two of the three men, who were later taken to court, were from Market Harborough.
An Uppingham, Rutlandbased spokesperson for the National Farmers’ Union in the East Midlands said: “Lincolnshire Police are trying very hard to prevent hare coursing in the county. Because of their successes, Leicestershire and Rutland are being increasingly targeted as the coursers are being pushed out of Lincolnshire.
“There has been an early harvest and the season has already started. It is a huge issue and generally involves the criminal fraternity, possibly with links to organised crime, and money laundering.
“Dogs change hands for tens of thousands of pounds and vast amounts of money changes hands betting on the dogs’ performance.
“People come from all over the country to take part and it involves an awful lot of money. The people involved are vicious, threatening and violent in pursuit of the crime they come to commit and there have been cases of people who try and stop them being attacked.
“They also do incredible damage. Lincolnshire Police have been running Operation Galileo seizing dogs and vehicles, the tools of their trade.”
Anyone witnessing an incident of hare coursing is asked to call police on 101, giving, if possible, descriptions of the people and the vehicles involved.
Court cases arising from hare coursing activities
Three men from Leicestershire have appeared before courts this year charged with offences connected with hare coursing, one of them a gamekeeper.
Alistair Ritchie (39), of Swallow Dale, Thringstone, near Coalville, whose occupation was given in court as gamekeeper, appeared before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 28, charged with offences under the Game Act 1831.
He appeared alongside Michael Faulks (32) of Fford Yr Odyn, Treuddyn, Flintshire.
The charges related to an allegation of hare coursing that took place at Haconby Fen, near Bourne, Lincolnshire on February 11.
Following a trial, both men were convicted of trespass in the pursuit of game. Ritchie was fined £300 and Faulks was ordered to pay a fine of £350.
Prosecution costs of £372 were awarded against each man.
An application for Criminal Behaviour Orders against both men is due to be heard next month (September).
During a joint police operation in Lincolnshire in October, involving Leicestershire officers, as part of Operation Galileo, using a drone, three men were arrested.
The men - two of them from Leicestershire - appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ on January 27 in connection with the investigation.
Patrick Joseph McCann (23) of Leicester Road, Market Harborough, and Billy McCann (18) also of Leicester Road, Market Harborough, were each fined £120.
Jamie Smith (27) of Ebbw Vale, Gwent, was fined £300.
All three defendants pleaded guilty to trespass in the pursuit of game.
Jamie Smith also pleaded guilty to driving without due dare and attention and failing to stop for police, linked to the same incident.
An application for Criminal Behaviour Orders was dismissed.
Superintendent Mark Housley, of Lincolnshire Police, said: “Hare coursing has a significant impact on the victims and the wider rural community. We will continue to work hard with our partners and neighbouring forces to bring offenders to justice and to make Lincolnshire hostile to hare coursers.”
Hare coursing history Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with greyhounds and other sighthounds, which chase the hare by sight and not by scent.
In some countries, it is a legal, competitive activity, in which dogs are tested on their ability to run, overtake and turn a hare, rather than a form of hunting aiming at the capture of game.
The aim of hare coursing is for two hare coursing dogs (usually greyhounds or lurchers) to compete against each other in pursuit of a live hare.
Bets are placed on which of the two dogs will be the quickest to turn and catch the hare.
Before the (Hunting Act 2004) ban some of these competitions were undertaken in very high profile events with many people in attendance, such as the famous Waterloo Cup, the three-day event run annually at Great Altcar in Lancashire.
This event has not happened since the ban was put in place as the Hunting Act also makes the participation or publicity of a hare coursing event an offence.
Source: The League Against Cruel Sports.
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