Three men caught hare coursing in Blackmore
Three Aveley men have been issued with community protection notices which run for three years
Three Aveley men have been issued with legal orders after reports of hare coursing in a field at Blackmore.
Following these reports, a group of three people were tracked by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter across the field on 4 October.
When the group reached Mountnessing Road, they were met by officers from Brentwood Local Policing Team who had been guided in by the helicopter crew. The men had three dogs with them on leads.
Now, three Aveley men, aged 28, 24 and 19, have been issued with community protection notices which run for three years.
CPNs tell people they must stop certain behaviour or risk further action.
PC Callum Barber, of the Essex Police Rural Engagement Team, explains: “We can issue community protection notices if we think they’ve been involved in hare coursing, even if we don’t have enough evidence to charge them with a crime.
“Hare coursing is often linked to organised crime and involves trespassing, cruelty to animals and threats to farmers and landowners.
“These three men ignored a community protection warning issued just two weeks previously so the next step is a community protection notice which, if breached, can lead to fines or criminal prosecution, as well as seizure and forfeiture of relevant property.
“Courts take such breaches seriously when dealing with hare coursing cases.”
In this case, the CPNs warn the recipients that their conduct is ‘unreasonable’ and ‘having a detrimental effect' on the quality of life of those in the locality.
‘The particular issues are illegal coursing, lamping and poaching, trespassing in search of game and the anti-social behaviour that these activities bring in Essex, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk,’ the notices state.
The recipients must comply with the following conditions to prevent the ‘detrimental effect’ of their conduct from continuing or reoccurring:
Not to be in possession of, or be in control of, or be in the company of any dog on private land without the owner’s written permission
When in possession of, in control of or in the company of any dog, said dog must be on a lead
Not to be in a vehicle with any dog while outside a five-mile radius of your home address, unless for a pre-arranged veterinary appointment
Not to be in possession of a catapult or shot, such as ball bearing, and/or an air weapon or any part of an air weapon.