Tough new measures to tackle the cruel practice of hare coursing are now in force, with anyone caught now facing an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison.
These new measures strengthen law enforcement for hare coursing by increasing the maximum penalties for convictions under existing legislation within the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act.
New criminal offences are being introduced, in addition to new powers for the courts to disqualify convicted offenders from owning or keeping dogs.
CLA South East represents thousands of farmers, landowners and rural businesses in Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Regional Director Tim Bamford said:
“Hare coursing continues to be a blight on rural communities, and this new legislation which the CLA has been campaigning for ensures that anyone caught will now face an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.
“Since the legislation received Royal Assent in April, the CLA has been working closely with Police and Crime Commissioners across the South East to inform them of the new powers so Chief Constables can prepare rural police officers with training before the beginning of the hare coursing season in the autumn.”
The changes include:
- Increasing the maximum penalty for trespassing in pursuit of game under the Game Acts (the Game Act 1831 and the Night Poaching Act 1828) to an unlimited fine and introducing the possibility of up to six months’ imprisonment.
- 2 new criminal offences: trespass with the intention of using a dog to search for or pursue a hare; and being equipped to trespass with the intention of using a dog to search for or pursue a hare. Both are punishable on conviction by an unlimited fine and/or up to six months’ imprisonment.
- New powers for the courts to order, on conviction, the reimbursement of costs incurred by the police in kennelling dogs seized in connection with a hare coursing-related offence.
- New powers or the courts to make an order, on conviction, disqualifying an offender from owning or keeping a dog.
For more information about the CLA and its work, visit https://www.cla.org.uk/in-your-area/south-east/ and follow @CLASouthEast on Twitter.
Good, and about bloody time too.
But will we actually proactively police this, are reports going to be taken seriously and acted upon by the relevant authorities?
Theres many a bumpkin out there that thinks i’t’s my right, my tradition etc.
I cannot tolerate cruelty to animals at any time, but especially in the name of sport for a few baying idiots and their dogs that are having the afternoon off from their sisters.
At long last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Issue is it is the bored nasty upper end of society who indulges in such and they are or know those people who matter
Thank goodness for all those who bother to risk assault who film upper class low life
It’s not the Howray Henry’s that are into Hare coursing it’s the Gypsy community.
The toffs stick to the fox.
Unless you are a member of a certain community, then you can carry on as normal.
Bloody backward pikey gypos, should chase them round a field!
Good. This is cruel and barbaric. Started many years ago on the mainland, mainly by pikeys.
They used to bet on which dog would catch the hare.
But all the rich can still hunt foxes? Corruption at its finest from our government and police forces. Bob must be laughing whilst eating half a sausage
My understanding is, fox hunting is illegal. Everyone, correct me if I am wrong please.
You are correct, but try telling that to most hunts, who hide behind their hired mob ‘the terrier men’ who protect illegal activities by assaulting any one that trys to get evidence. Plenty of videos on youtube of the assaults carried out by them.
Some interesting ones of the island hunt too….