Cleared hunt master may sue CPS over ‘insane’ prosecution
A HUNT master is considering taking legal action against prosecutors after he was wrongly convicted of intimidating one of Britain’s most notorious saboteurs over his “kidnapped” dog.
The police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have been accused of wasting time and resources after taking Kim Richardson to court for confronting Raoul D’monte, whose group of saboteurs were holding one of his favourite hounds in a van.
After a year-long legal battle, a Crown Court judge has overturned his conviction for harassment, saying that he did not find Mr D’monte was intimidated and Mr Richardson was reasonable in trying to get his dog back.
Mr Richardson, joint master and huntsman of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt, said that the case was “insane” and he is now considering suing the CPS. He works in Africa building social housing, clinics and community buildings and a conviction could be “dangerous” as it could mean that people will not work with him.
Mr D’monte, the alleged victim, who also uses the alias Alfie Moon, was revealed in court to be a well known activist who has been disrupting hunts for almost 40 years.
On Feb 25 last year around 60 members of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt were met by around 40 saboteurs, many of whom were wearing camouflage and balaclavas. During the afternoon one of Mr Richardson’s hounds, Chapter, went missing. One of the other riders overheard the saboteurs discussing what to do with the “lost property”. They had found Chapter and put the dog in the back of their van.
Mr Richardson confronted Mr D’monte, saying: “Have you got my missing hound, you lot? You f------ better not nick it because I’ll put this [bugle] straight down your f------ throat.”
Mr Richardson said: “It was maybe a little bit stronger than I should have been, but I knew I needed to be strong to get her back, it was a gesture.”
The activists returned the dog to another rider several hours after it had gone missing. Mr Richardson thought nothing more of it until he received a phone call from police a couple of months later, saying that Mr D’monte had made a complaint. Mr Richardson said: “I told them not to be ridiculous… I thought that it was so stupid that no one would prosecute. Next thing I know I am in court.”
Last October he appeared before a district judge and was convicted of a public order offence for causing harassment, alarm or distress fined £2,500 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £635 and a victim surcharge of £130.
But he was cleared on appeal at Lewes Crown Court last week after a video of the day showed abuse being slung both ways.
Mr D’monte was filmed saying: “It was a really successful day, really good, really good.”
Judge Antony Chinn QC said that the bench had also heard evidence that Mr D’monte was “smirking” and they concluded he did not feel harassed.
Sussex Police said it was their duty to uphold the law and they would investigate without bias allegations from either side before handing details to the CPS to make a charging decision.
A CPS spokesman said: “This case was charged following careful consideration of the evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.”
‘I thought that it was so stupid that no one would prosecute. Next thing I know I am in court’