Pair deny fox-hunting allegations
PAIR DENY ACCUSATION THAT TRAIL HUNT WAS A CHARADE
A HUNTSMAN and assistant with Quorn Hunt have gone on trial accused of flouting the fox hunting ban during a trail hunt which, it is claimed, was nothing more than a charade.
John Oliver Finnegan, 36, and Rhys Matcham, 30, allegedly actively encouraged hounds to look for a fox during a trail hunt in Leicestershire on February 4 last year in breach of the 2004 Hunting Act.
During a hearing at Leicester Magistrates’ Court yesterday, huntsman Finnegan and whipperin Rhys Matcham, whose role is to bring straying hounds back into the pack, denied any wrongdoing.
Both men were captured on camera by the League Against Cruel Sports from an observation point near Breedon-on-the-Hill, north of Ashby.
Opening the case, prosecutor Mark Fielding said that footage shown to the court had captured terriermen trying to dig out a fox.
Addressing a bench of three magistrates, Mr Fielding said of Finnegan and Matcham: “I think they accept they both worked for the Quorn Hunt.
“They both accept that identification is not an issue and that they were the gentlemen on the grey and the bay horse in the red coats.”
Disputing the men’s claims that they were taking part in a legitimate hunt following a pre-laid scent, the prosecutor said: “The Crown will say there is a charade going on.”
He added: “The Crown’s position is, as you have seen, that the hounds were taken to the covert (den) where the Crown say they knew there was a fox.
“They were there for 10 or more minutes, we say encouraging the hounds in their endeavours. They made no attempt whatsoever to lift them (the hounds) and take them elsewhere.
“They were at least supine in their efforts. The Crown say they actively encouraged the hounds to look for that particular fox.”
Claiming the footage showed terriermen arriving on a quad bike to dig up the fox, Mr Fielding asked: “If this is a genuine drag hunt, why have you even got terriermen in the field? You don’t need them.
“The terriermen were there because this was a proper fox hunt, going back to the olden days.”
Roger Swaine, of the League Against Cruel Sports, told the court that a fox could be seen on the video at 12.37pm, a minute after Matcham appeared to see something in a covert.
The prosecution witness told magistrates: “The hounds were barking excitedly.
“Then, after the fox broke cover and then went back into the covert again, Matcham rode into the clearing.
“He stood with his horse in that clearing and was waving his whip – I believe he was trying to prevent the fox from going into the thicker, denser part of the covert.”
Mr Swaine said the hounds were not taken away until 12.52pm - 15 minutes after they arrived.
He told the court the footage then showed a “shadowy figure” digging at the edge of the den.
He added the hounds later took off down the side of a golf course and were “introduced” to a second covert.
Mr Swaine said: “After they went into the larger, arrow-shaped covert, the hounds caught another scent and ran through the golf course directly towards the church we were filming from, and some hounds ended up in the graveyard.
“For completeness, Finnegan was blowing his horn at that point to call them back.”
Mr Swaine also alleged Finnegan later encouraged the hounds with voice calls.
Under cross-examination by defence solicitor Stephen Welford, Mr Swaine conceded he could not see where Matcham was looking when a fox was seen to emerge from the covert.
Mr Welford asked: “It’s perfectly reasonable to suggest that hounds were in that bit of covert, they had found an artificial trail… and a fox popped out.
“That is one possibility, is it not?”
Mr Swaine answered: “Yes”. Finnegan, who lives at the premises of the Quorn Hunt in Kirby Bellars, near Melton Mowbray, and Matcham, of Kennel Drive, Badminton, south Gloucestershire, deny illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs.
The trial continues.