HUNTER GUILTY OF BREAKING BAN

News 24

London - A huntsman from southwest England on Friday has become the first to be found guilty of breaking a ban on the centuries-old custom of chasing foxes with hounds.

Tony Wright was convicted at Barnstaple magistrate's court of breaking the law, which came into force in England and Wales last year after years of angry debate in parliament that brought country gentry to London for demonstrations.

Wright was fined £500 (about R6 500) for breaking the law, after a private prosecution was brought by the League Against Cruel Sports (Lacs) campaign group, which secretly filmed him leading huntsmen out with the foxhounds in April last year.

"The Hunting Act is a stupid law, and a pointless law and we will keep our hunts going until it is repealed," he told reporters after the verdict, adding he planned to appeal.
"I think it's a just a very bad job what's happened today."

The ban outlaws a sport that began with the restoration of King Charles 2 in 1660, but which animal rights campaigners now say is cruel.

Media reports said the prosecution cost the campaigners $123 000 (about R849 000) after the police decided not to pursue the case.

Mike Hobday, the LACS's head of public affairs said: "The chasing of the foxes we saw taking place on video was against the law."

"What the court said is that the huntsman was chasing foxes with his hounds. And parliament has deemed that activity to be cruel and said it is illegal."

It bans chasing foxes with hounds - which traditionally kill the fox at the end of the hunt - but hunters say they believe it allows them to "exercise" their dogs, flush out foxes, and shoot them.

Simon Hart, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: "No right minded person thinks that Wright should have been branded a criminal."

"If people were confused about the Hunting Act before today they will be a lot more confused now.
"We believe that he was trying to comply with the law as he understood it and will be supporting his appeal."

Wright said he had been out with two hounds and a marksman who shot a fox, which he thought complied with the law.

"I was doing my best to follow the rules as it is written down. I might have been found guilty but I certainly don't feel like a criminal."

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