Four men sentenced after using dogs to kill hares in Lincolnshire
They've been banned from keeping dogs for years
Last updated 5th Sep 2025
Four men who used their dogs to chase hares and kill them in Lincolnshire have been sentenced after videos of the crime were found on their phones.
The sentences include having their dogs taken off them, being banned from keeping dogs, and being banned from coming into Lincolnshire and surrounding areas with dogs during hare coursing season (the 31st of July to 30th April).
They were also ordered to pay £13500 in kennelling and dog welfare fees.
The men, Billy Joe Saunders, who's 36, Maurice John Smith, who's also 36, Noah Stanley, who's 54 and Noah Stanley, who's 26, all pleaded guilty to trespassing with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs.
They also pleaded guilty to a second offence of being equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs.
Maurice has been banned for keeping dogs for ten years and must undertake 120 hours of unpaid work, whilst Billy, Noah and Noah were banned for five years and must undertake 60 hours of unpaid work each.
There were two children, a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old, and two dogs in the car with the men when they were found by police.
A Lincolnshire police spokesperson said: "Our Force Control Room received a call at 7.30am on 9th October 2024 that the occupants of a silver Mercedes ML were hare coursing at Wellend Bank, near Market Deeping.
"The vehicle was spotted by an officer as well as multiple members of the public, who called in reports that a vehicle matching the description was speeding, “just coming off the fens covered in mud”, and filled with people who were “acting suspiciously”.
"Coordinating their efforts, officers tracked the vehicle to Beach Bank where it was stopped.
"Six people were found inside the vehicle designed to carry five, two of whom were children aged 13 and 16. Had they been in a collision, the rear seat passengers may have been seriously injured due to insufficient seatbelts and cramped conditions. (Charged with this offence but withdrawn at court)
"In the boot were two light-coloured Greyhound/lurcher-type dogs named George and Molly, and the car was covered in fresh mud up to its roof, indicating that it had recently been travelling off road.
"Attempts had also been made to conceal the rear number plates with mud. Further searches revealed a catapult and ball bearing in a camouflaged jacket, a locking knife under the rear seat, both later confirmed to belong to the children.
"The videos found on their phones were damming.
"They showed Noah Stanley Junior walking in a muddy field with a white sight hound, when a small animal believed to be a hare was seen, and the lead then slipped from the dog so it could chase the hare.
"Another video showed Stanley Junior again slip the lead and send the dog off towards a hare which was clearly visible, while a voice, believed to be that of Billy Joe Saunders, encouraged it. The hare was then caught.
"Another showed Maurice Smith with a device believed to be a thermal camera, a tool often used by hare courses while they locate potential prey through their body heat. Landmarks in the videos were matched to the Welland Bank area."
Police constable Windsor-Beck said that hare coursers are drawn to Lincolnshire because of its flat, open terrain.