Conviction of Cornwall hunt master upheld... after cat mauled to death by dogs
Mini was killed by hounds in a housing estate in Madron in 2021
Last updated 26th Apr 2022
The master of a Cornish hunt, whose hounds mauled a pet rescue cat to death, has had his conviction upheld.
Mini was killed by a pack of dogs from the Western Hunt in a housing estate in Madron near Penzance in March 2021.
John Lanyon Sampson, 56, from St Buryan was originally found guilty of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.
Speaking at the time of the incident, owner Carly Jose said her children "cried themselves to sleep".
She added: "Nothing will bring Mini back or take away the trauma Mini and we have been through".
John Lanyon Sampson had launched an appeal but, on Monday 25th April, a judge at Truro Crown Court ruled to uphold his conviction.
Animal welfare charity, the League Against Cruel Sports, has welcomed that decision.
Its director of investigations, Martin Sims, said: "We welcome the decision to uphold the conviction. This case has shone a bright light on the way hunts and their hounds threaten local residents, wildlife, and their pets.
"Enough is enough. Sickening incidents like the one involving Mini are all too common in the British countryside. Although today’s debate is welcome, and shows the public what hunts are really like, the only way to stop this once and for all is to strengthen the Hunting Act".
The decision to uphold came on the day ministers debated whether to pass Mini’s Law to make it illegal for hunts to go near residential or public areas, following a petition started by the cat's owner Carly.
You can watch the debate in full below...