Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Suspended sentences for ‘Stockport’ hunt saboteurs
The Hunt Saboteurs Association has expressed its support for a team of convicted criminals who are facing suspended sentences after terrifying a 15-year-old girl (News, 10 August). The gang, who describe themselves as ‘the Stockport Monitors’, have become notorious for their threatening behaviour.
Paul Allman, Cameron Allman, Charley Waring and Reuben Waterhouse were given 100 hours’ unpaid work to complete, while Matthew Slater was given a threemonth tagged curfew, owing to poor health. They were also sentenced to suspended terms in prison for the episode, which left its young victim “terrified”.
Polly Portwin, of the Countryside Alliance, said: “While small in numbers, hunt saboteurs can be incredibly violent individuals that are a danger to law-abiding citizens. Often disguised in balaclavas, they terrorise the countryside and are driven purely by a hatred of people, rather than animal welfare. It can never be acceptable to disrupt or prevent lawful activity from taking place.”
Despite their convictions and the criminal past of group members, the Hunt Saboteurs Association said: “Although they’re not one of our affiliated groups, we are fully supportive of them.”