Hare coursing is where criminals organise for dogs to chase hares over farmland for large bets of money, costing farmers thousands of pounds in damage to the land.
Levi Lee, 36, of Basingstoke Road, Reading, and Francie Doherty, 47, of Gipsy Lane, Wellingborough, both pleaded guilty to attending a hare coursing event on January 25 and were each fined £500.
In addition to the fines, both men were issued three-year CBOs (Criminal Behaviour Orders) at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court which prohibit them from:
“The NFU continues to work well with Cambridgeshire Police to help them with their efforts to tackle rural crime, so it is great to see that work making an impact.”
NFU Cambridgeshire Council Representative Mat Smith
- Entering or being present on any part of private or agricultural land within England and Wales, without the written permission of the owner, which can be presented to an officer upon request.
- (For Levi Lee only) Driving any vehicle with a sighthound breed dog, while outside of a five-mile radius of his home address, unless for a pre-arranged veterinary appointment, proof of appointment to be provided to an officer upon request.
Working together
These CBOs are believed to be the first of their kind used in the country. Breaching a CBO can result in up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine.
The CBOs have been issued following a major investigation into hare coursing and associated criminal activity that took place on Saturday 25 January 25 affecting communities across Cambridgeshire including Fordham, Ely, Prickwillow, Littleport, Welney, Chatteris, March, Wimblington and Doddington.
The operation, supported by multiple police forces and national crime units, resulted in 43 arrests and 25 individuals charged with a total of 39 offences.
NFU Cambridgeshire Council Representative Mat Smith, a third-generation arable farmer based near Ramsey, said: “We are very pleased to see this action being taken and hopefully it will act as a deterrent to stop people from committing this awful crime.
“Hare coursing is a major ongoing issue in rural communities – often leaving people feeling intimidated and unsafe in their own homes, damaging the countryside, costing farmers thousands in damage to crops and impacting our ability to deliver national food security. Hare coursing is also a major animal welfare concern.
“That weekend in January caused a lot of fear and stress for people across rural Cambridgeshire, not just farmers but the wider community as well.
“The NFU continues to work well with Cambridgeshire Police to help them with their efforts to tackle rural crime, so it is great to see that work making an impact.”
Significant milestone
Detective Inspector Matthew Selves, who led the investigation, said: “This is a significant milestone in our efforts to tackle hare coursing and rural crime.
“These CBOs are believed to be the first of their kind in the country, setting a strong precedent for how seriously this type of offending is being taken.
“We hope this sends a clear message to others who think they can disrupt our rural communities without consequence.”
A further 20 men are due to appear in court over the coming months for sentencing and trials.
As part of its ongoing work to support Cambridgeshire Police, NFU representatives have been helping to train police call handlers this week about rural crime and its impacts.
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