Three sentenced for hare coursing in Norfolk
They pleaded guilty
Last updated 15th May 2021
Three men have been sentenced for hare coursing in Sharrington.
Officers were called shortly after 11.30pm on 16 September 2020 to reports of men with dogs on private land in Sharrington, near Melton Constable.
Police attended the scene and discovered a silver Citroen car and a dead hare inside the vehicle. Using night vision goggles, officers spotted two men with two Lurcher-type dogs hiding in the hedgerow.
Two men aged in their 30s, a man aged in his 20s and a teenage boy voluntarily attended Aylsham Police Investigation Centre where they were questioned about the incident.
William Mitchell, age 36, of Mangreen Lane in Keswick, near Norwich, Michael Travell, age 35, of Beverley Road, Norwich, and George Harber, age 23, of Shorthorn Road, Stratton Strawless, were subsequently reported for hunting a wild mammal with dogs contrary to section 1 and 6 of the 2004 Hunting Act and summonsed to appear at court.
They appeared before Norwich Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (12 May 2021) and pleaded guilty to one count of hunting a wild mammal with dogs.
All three were each fined £500 and ordered to pay £145 costs, and a victim surcharge of £50. They were also given Criminal Behaviour Orders for three years. A confiscation order was also made for three dogs which will now be rehomed.
The teenage boy was told no further action would be taken against him.
PC Chris Shelley, Norfolk Police's Rural Crime Officer, said:
"Hare coursing has a terrible impact on our rural communities: it damages property, threatens people's livelihoods and subjects people and families to fear and intimidation.
"It's an issue we take very seriously and we will hold those responsible to account in order to prevent this happening in Norfolk. If you witness this crime in action or have information about illegal hare coursing, please share this with us so we can work together to catch those responsible."
Anyone witnessing hare coursing in progress should call 999 immediately. Anyone with information about hare coursing or other wildlife crime should call 101. Alternatively, they contact Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.