Black market gambling fuels ‘terrifying’ surge in hare coursing

TENS of thousands of pounds is being gambled on illegal hare coursing events being live-streamed across the country via mobile phones.

Landowners have reported a “terrifying” increase in illicit gatherings fuelled by the black market in betting enabled by modern technology.

More than a thousand incidents have been reported in Lincolnshire alone during the 2017-18 season, despite a police crackdown, and the activity is believed to be increasingly prevalent across the east of England.

Illegal trophies such as the “Fir Cup” now come with £6,000 of prize money, according to police, although far greater sums are understood to be won and lost via the mobile messaging service WhatsApp.

The Country Land & Business Association (CLA), which represents property owners, said hare coursers were deliberately targeting patches of land which get good 4G reception.

The activity, which involves two dogs competing against each other in pursuit of killing a hare, was outlawed as part of the 2004 Hunting Act, but it has continued to take place illegally, principally in eastern counties where large flat fields enable good viewing and there is an abundance of hares.

Those convicted of hare coursing often receive a fine of a few hundred pounds. However, the owner of a successful dog can expect to earn thousands of pounds in breeding fees.

Lee Murphy, who speaks for the CLA’s members in the east of England, said an “underclass” of enthusiasts travelled from across the UK to attend illegal gatherings.

“These are hardened criminals – this is not a quaint rural crime,” he told The Sunday Telegraph. “People are living in fear of their lives. They can see their property being damaged but they know that if they confront the coursers they will be threatened.”

Mr Murphy said sentencing guidelines should be amended to create more draconian and specific penalties for hare coursing, such as vehicle seizures. The CLA also believes a greater willingness by police to seize dogs involved in the activity will deter offenders.

In Essex, where around 500 reports of hare coursing were filed last year, police have begun using drones to monitor the countryside.

One CLA member said: “We live in fear of being targeted as we know how vicious the people that take part in hare coursing can be. We’ve got the scars to show for it.”

Hare coursing tends to take place over the autumn and winter when the fields are clear of crops. The crackdown in Lincolnshire meant an increase in incidents in neighbouring counties, particularly Cambridgeshire.