Three hunt supporters fined after punches thrown at Wiltshire Boxing Day meet
Pro and anti-hunting groups clashed in Lacock last December
Three hunt supporters have been fined after admitting fighting with saboteurs, following scuffles which broke out at a Boxing Day meet in Wiltshire.
William Renny, 30, Callum Lewis, 26, and Evan Lorne, 18, pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 4 of the Public Order Act of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause unlawful violence.
Salisbury Magistrates' Court heard that there were clashes between pro and anti-hunting groups outside the Red Lion pub in Lacock, when the Avon Vale Hunt passed through on December 27 last year.
The court was played video of the incident, which showed scuffles emerging and punches being thrown between the opposing sides.
'There is lots of tension in the air'
Tom Power, prosecuting, said: "All three defendants play a slightly different role in events.
"Mr Rennie threw a punch towards one of the hunt saboteurs, and Mr Lewis and Mr Lorne appear to throw multiple punches towards the saboteurs as general scuffles break out.
"The recording shows there is lots of tension in the air and the saboteurs are shouting and the defendants have been goaded by that."
The defendants maintained that the atmosphere became "confrontational" when around 50 hunt saboteurs dressed in black arrived.
Nicola Hutchinson, representing Renny, said: "There were youths riding ponies who were approached by the saboteurs, who were said to be trying to spook the ponies.
"They were waving banners in front of their face and saying to the youths they wished they had fallen off their horses and were injured.
"Mr Renny said with that there was an incident where one of the saboteurs approached one of the others there and slapped a phone out of his hand, and he fully concedes at that stage he did lose his cool, he did punch out at that man once - not causing any injury.
"As soon as he did that, he regretted his actions straight away. He tells me he is really embarrassed by the footage he has seen, and he understands clearly that is not acceptable behaviour."
'An impulsive act, which he deeply regrets'
Rebecca Veasey, representing Lewis, said the hunt had been a "big part" of his life but he is no longer involved with it.
"An argument started between him and a saboteur who was spitting at the riders, and this saboteur put his hand on Mr Lewis's throat and he lashed out in order to remove his hand from his neck, only to be put in a headlock from another," she said.
"Only at a later stage did he make two ineffectual punches at another saboteur held up against a wall. He does regret his behaviour that day."
Miss Veasey, who was also representing Lorne, said he got involved in the violence "out of concern" for his father, who had been pushed by a saboteur.
"Mr Lorne himself was grabbed by his collar at one stage, to whom he reacted against - admittedly somewhat disproportionately," she said.
"It was an impulsive act, which he deeply regrets."
'Quite distressing for people there as bystanders'
Presiding justice Rachel Gowshall said Renny had approached his victim with "aggression" before punching him.
"We've heard there was provocation and we've heard there was a general melee, but you have contributed to that general melee by getting involved in violence," she said.
"It would have been quite distressing for people there as bystanders watching the level of violence and mayhem."
Pest controller Renny, of Fleet Close, Westbury, was fined £538 and ordered to pay a £54 victim surcharge and £85 costs.
Plant operator Lewis, of Campion Close, Westbury, was fined £554 and also ordered to pay a £54 victim surcharge and £85 costs.
Agricultural student Lorne, of the Lye, Seenn, Melksham, was fined £200 and ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge and £85 costs.
Two other defendants, Andrew Purbrick, from Westbury, and Adrian Earl, 52, of Calne, will appear at Swindon Magistrates' Court on April 13.
In the aftermath of the event, Wiltshire Police came under fire for their handling of it.
Officers present at the anti-hunt demonstration, set up by the Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs, have been accused of not intervening to prevent the violence from breaking out.
Some of the saboteurs have also claimed that one of the officers is a full member of the hunt.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) said it has referred 10 complaints to Wiltshire Police's professional standards department to be investigated further.