Hare coursers convicted

Following a trial at Beverley Magistrates Court last week, two hare coursing offenders have been convicted of being equipped to search for brown hares with dogs following an incident which occurred in December 2023 at Faxfleet in Goole.

Elijah Boswell, 38-years-old, of Smithy’s Lane in Barnsley, was ordered to pay a total of £1061, and Shaun Price, 54-years-old, of Dunningly Lane in Wakefield was ordered to pay £1339.

Following the reports, the Rural Task Force were immediately deployed and through a combination of teamwork and excellent local knowledge by the officers, a vehicle containing Price and Boswell was stopped close to the incident location.

The occupants and the vehicle were searched under the Poaching Prevention Act and a number of Lurcher type dogs located, along with a Thermal Scope.

They were both subsequently detained onon suspicion of Hare Coursing and  during interview, neither of them provided an account as to why they were in possession of the dogs and equipment seized from the vehicle. 

Following the conviction, PC Rich Fussey from the Rural Task Force said: “Illegal hare coursing is not only a priority for our Rural Task Force, but also for the UK Wildlife Crime partnership.

“This kind of criminality involved is serious, and perpetrators are organised and sophisticated in their planning, often involving cross border offending. 

“Not only does it involve barbaric acts against protected wildlife species, but it causes harassment, alarm, distress and annoyance to the rural communities. 

“Poachers do not care about trespassing across farmland, intimidation to farmers and landowners, and the damage they cause. However, they do care about the zero-tolerance response that we have towards their illegal activities. 

“I hope this case and the seizure of the thermal scope used in the commission of hare coursing offences sends out a strong message to anyone with intentions on travelling to our area intend on conducting illegal hare coursing activities. 

“We will be ready to take positive action utilising all the available legislation, and I would like to pass on my continued thanks to local farm watch community for supporting our response to this incident – together we make the East Riding of Yorkshire a hostile place for Wildlife Crime. 

“If you witness any suspected hare coursing in progress, please contact the police on our non-emergency number 101 quoting Op Galileo. Always call 999 in an emergency.”