Animal rights activist ‘caused alarm’ in wake of Paris terror attack

● Court hears protesters wore ‘paramilitary’ gear to sabotage hunt

An animal rights activist who took to the streets in Fife the day after the November Paris attacks dressed in “paramilitary clothing” was told by a sheriff he had offended “heightened sensitivities”.

Kevin Newell, who runs a “100 per cent humane, ethical and non-lethal” pest control firm, and a group of fellow fox hunt saboteurs donned camouflage trousers and jackets as well as balaclavas before taking to the roads of Fife the day after the Paris atrocities.

Police said Newell had followed the hunt pack and behaved in an “intimidating” manner.

A trial at Dundee Sheriff Court heard that on 14 November and 21 November Newell and other saboteurs had intercepted vehicles heading to hunts in north-east Fife.

On both occasions they were dressed in what hunt supporters described as “paramilitary” clothing with their faces covered by snoods and balaclavas.

They followed hunt vehicles, “intimidating” hunt supporters in the process.

Newell, 33, of Sir William Wallace Wynd, Aberdeen, was found guilty after trial of two offences of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner.

Defence solicitor Paul Parker Smith said: “This case could be dealt with by a financial penalty.”

But Sheriff George Way instead imposed a community payback order with 90 hours of unpaid work.

He said: “This was a time of heightened sensitivites given the Bataclan attacks. People would have seen him and wouldn’t have known what was going on.

“There was a certain background involved with two groups of people with directly opposing views.”

Detective Inspector Colin Robson, of Police Scotland’s Fife Division, said: “We police hunts in Fife to ensure the safety of everyone participating in or observing the events, and to ensure they take place legally. This applies equally to those who oppose hunting and those in the pack taking part.

“There is a right to peacefully and lawfully protest in a public place and a procedure for legally hunting with dogs.

“In this case, Newell’s behaviour was unacceptable and it should send a clear message to anyone intending to disrupt a hunt in this way that we will take action.”