Sir Ranulph protests over ‘soft’ sentence for GBH huntsmen
SIR RANULPH FIENNES has accused a judge of showing undue leniency to two huntsmen who were spared jail, following an intervention by the sister of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Lady Sarah Mccorquodale, the joint master of the Belvoir Hunt, wrote to a judge offering character references for two of its members who had been convicted of attacking an anti-hunt campaigner. Despite breaking Darryl Cunnington’s neck, and leaving him with life-threatening injuries, George Grant and his son, Thomas, received only suspended sentences when they appeared in court last month.
The explorer, a supporter of the League Against Cruel Sports, has written to Jeremy Wright QC, the Attorney General, asking him to review the case under the unduly lenient sentencing scheme. He said he was concerned the judge may have been influenced by Lady Mccorquodale, adding that such a lenient sentence could serve as a “green light” for hunt supporters to attack opponents of the sport. In his letter, he wrote: “We strongly believe the sentences are not commensurate with the seriousness of the crimes committed. Darryl Cunnington suffered life-threatening injuries, including fractures to the neck in three places.
“By allowing the two men to walk free from court, this may be interpreted as giving a ‘green light’ for hunt supporters to commit serious assaults against local residents, charity staff or any other individual who may observe or be in the vicinity of a hunt.”
Mr Cunnington and his colleague, Roger Swaine, were working as investigators for the League Against Cruel Sports and had been filming the activities of the Belvoir Hunt in Leicestershire in March 2016 when they were attacked by six men.
George Grant, 57, a terrierman for the hunt, and Thomas, 25, his son, admitted grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, the theft of a camera and damage to an SD card.
While George Grant did not physically attack Mr Cunnington, the court heard the attack was a “joint venture” between him and the other men, four of whom have never been identified.
When the Grants appeared for sentencing last month, Judge Jinder Singh Boora told them: “You flipped. Neither of you are, by nature, violent men.”
Sir Ranulph said the evidence put before the court did not support that.
Lady Mccorquodale had written to Leicester Crown Court explaining that Mr Grant senior was “very hardworking, good at his job”.
The Attorney General’s office has 28 days to consider whether the original sentence is appropriate.