The new guideline, which comes into force on 1 June 2026, marks an important step forward in deterring hare coursing and ensuring the courts fully recognise the significant harm and intimidation this serious crime poses to farmers and growers across the country.
NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt said the new guideline sends “a clear message that this crime will be treated with the seriousness it deserves, and that the courts must consider the full impact on victims and rural communities”.
What are sentencing guidelines?
“Farms are not just places of work but are also our homes and for too long dangerous criminals have exploited this.”
NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt
Sentencing guidelines help make sure that judges and magistrates in courts across England and Wales take a consistent approach to sentencing.
For several years, the NFU has pressed government to address the impact of hare coursing at every stage of the criminal justice system.
The new guideline sets out clear, aggravating factors for judges to consider, including the use of social media to film offences and breaches of community protection notices.
It also draws attention to key powers introduced under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, enabling courts to disqualify offenders from owning dogs and to order them to pay the costs associated with the seizure and detention of dogs involved in hare coursing offences.
The guideline also expands ‘harm factors’ to include distress, injury and loss of life to animals, and serious harm caused to property, land, crops or other wildlife habitat.
Restoring the feeling of safety on farm
“Hare coursing doesn’t just damage farmland, it leaves a lasting emotional scar on farming families, many of whom are left feeling vulnerable, isolated and fearful of going about their daily work,” said NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt.
“Farms are not just places of work but are also our homes and for too long dangerous criminals have exploited this. We know of one farmer who has reported more than 200 incidents of hare coursing in the past eight months.
“The NFU has driven its campaign to ensure the voices of farmers and growers are heard, and we welcome the Sentencing Council’s recognition of the need for tougher, more consistent sentencing to help protect farmers and their livelihoods and restore the feeling of safety on farm and in rural communities.”
In January 2025, the Sentencing Council launched a consultation on the guidelines, with the NFU submitting detailed evidence to ensure the voices and experiences of farmers and growers were fully reflected.
The NFU also attended the Operation Galileo Conference at Leicestershire Police HQ, where two NFU members gave evidence on the devastating impact of hare coursing on victims.
On announcing the new guideline, His Honour Judge Simon Drew KC, member of the Sentencing Council, said: “Illegal activities associated with hare coursing cause real harm — to wildlife, to property, to farmers and their families and to the wider rural communities that often deal with the repercussions of this aggressive crime.
“The strength of feeling we heard through our consultation made clear just how seriously this issue is felt. This guideline ensures the courts have the tools to reflect that harm in sentencing”
