Court Result - Hare coursers convicted.

HUMBERSIDE HARE COURSING CONVICTION

Four hare coursing offenders have been convicted of hunting and driving offences at Grimsby Magistrates Court this week following an investigation by our Rural Task Force.

Robert Doig, 27-years-old, of Dalwhamie Street in Kinross, was found guilty of careless driving, driving whilst disqualified, and illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs under Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004. He received a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, a 21-month driving ban, and was ordered to pay a £550 fine, £160 in court costs as well as a £154 victim surcharge.

Joseph Smith, 41-years old, of Golden Hind Drive in Worcestershire and Tony Taylor, 24-years-old, of Hodfar Road in Worcestershire were found guilty of illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs under Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004. They both received a £750 fine, collection orders, and were ordered to pay £160 in court cost as well as a £300 victim surcharge.

Walter Varey, 31-years-old, of Paradise Farm in Bedfordshire was also found guilty of illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs under Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004. He received a £550 fine, a collection order, and was ordered to pay £160 in court costs as well as a £220 victim surcharge.

In addition, both Doig and Smith received five-year Criminal Behaviour Orders, the conditions of which are they must not:

- Be present on any private or agricultural land within Humberside without written permission of the landowner which can be presented to an officer upon request

- Be present in any vehicle with a sighthound, greyhound, lurcher type dog or crossbreed which is not registered and/or microchipped whilst outside a 5-mile radius of their home.

In September 2025, officers from our Rural Task Force were deployed to an incident in Kilpin, East Riding of Yorkshire. With support from the Roads Policing Unit, Dog Section and our partners from the National Police Air Service (NPAS), all four offenders were pursued, located and subsequently arrested in Burringham, North Lincolnshire.

Following a search of all four men as well as a vehicle a search, officers discovered and seized a thermal scope, slip leads and GPS equipment.

They were brought into custody to be interviewed where they each provided “No Comment” accounts during interviewed. Working closely with the Crown Prosecution service, they were each charged.

All four offenders provided ‘No Comment’ accounts in interview.

Following a detailed and complex investigation by the Rural Task Force, working closely with the Crown prosecution Service, the following offenders were convicted and sentenced at court.

Officer in the case, Police Constable Nick Beech from the Rural Task Force said: “Illegal hare coursing is a UK Wildlife Crime Priority and a priority for the Rural Task Force.

“The criminality involved is serious, organised, and sophisticated in their planning often involving cross border offending.

“Not only does it involve barbaric acts against protected wildlife species, but it causes harassment, alarm, distress, and annoyance to the rural communities.

“Poachers do not care about trespassing across farmland, intimidation to farmers and landowners, and the damage they cause.

These offenders are often linked to serious acquisitive crime, and it is imperative that they are dealt with robustly to the full extent of the law.

“This case with the arrest, seizure of vehicles, dogs and items used in the commission of these offences demonstrates our zero-tolerance approach to these offences.

“I hope this case along with sentences and Criminal Behaviour Order put in place sends out a strong message to anyone with intentions on travelling to Humberside to conduct illegal hare coursing activities.

“I would like to pass on my continued thanks to local farm watch community for supporting our response to this incident and the courage to attend court – together we will make our region a hostile place for Rural, Heritage and Wildlife Crime.

“Also, I am grateful for the support of the Roads Policing Unit, Dog Support Unit and NPAS, without their help this result could not have been achieved.”

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