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| Grove and Rufford Hunt members fined after illegal fox killing | Grove and Rufford Hunt members fined after illegal fox killing |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Three people have been fined for illegal hunting after their actions were recorded by birdwatchers. | Three people have been fined for illegal hunting after their actions were recorded by birdwatchers. |
| Paul Larby, 58, Peter White, 57, and Jane Wright, 63, of the Grove and Rufford Hunt, insisted their dogs were on a trail when they stumbled on a fox. | Paul Larby, 58, Peter White, 57, and Jane Wright, 63, of the Grove and Rufford Hunt, insisted their dogs were on a trail when they stumbled on a fox. |
| But the footage, taken at Laneham, Nottinghamshire in January 2016, showed no attempt to call the hounds off. | But the footage, taken at Laneham, Nottinghamshire in January 2016, showed no attempt to call the hounds off. |
| All were convicted at Mansfield Magistrates' Court of hunting a mammal with dogs. | All were convicted at Mansfield Magistrates' Court of hunting a mammal with dogs. |
| Including costs, Larby was fined £1,128, White £853 and Wright £448. | Including costs, Larby was fined £1,128, White £853 and Wright £448. |
| White, from Kneesall, Nottinghamshire, gave evidence of six trails he said he laid on the morning of the incident. | White, from Kneesall, Nottinghamshire, gave evidence of six trails he said he laid on the morning of the incident. |
| Larby, a huntsman from Barmby Moor, and Wright, a hunt volunteer from Lound, both in Nottinghamshire, told the court they had been following a trail when the fox jumped out of a hedge in front of them. | Larby, a huntsman from Barmby Moor, and Wright, a hunt volunteer from Lound, both in Nottinghamshire, told the court they had been following a trail when the fox jumped out of a hedge in front of them. |
| It was chased and killed by the dogs before they could intervene, they said. | It was chased and killed by the dogs before they could intervene, they said. |
| The prosecution claimed no-one saw the trails being laid and the hounds had run across roads - which trails are not laid across. | |
| Birdwatcher Philip Palmer told the trial a fox was chased by a pack of 45 hounds in view of members of the hunt. | Birdwatcher Philip Palmer told the trial a fox was chased by a pack of 45 hounds in view of members of the hunt. |
| Both Larby and Wright were in the field, but Mr Palmer said he heard no attempt to call the dogs off. | Both Larby and Wright were in the field, but Mr Palmer said he heard no attempt to call the dogs off. |
| District Judge Timothy Spruce said: "There is good and compelling evidence that the hunt was aware of the fox, but it appears there is no evidence that hounds were directed away." | District Judge Timothy Spruce said: "There is good and compelling evidence that the hunt was aware of the fox, but it appears there is no evidence that hounds were directed away." |
| The League Against Cruel Sports said it was the first case it was aware of where footage from members of the public was used to secure a conviction. | The League Against Cruel Sports said it was the first case it was aware of where footage from members of the public was used to secure a conviction. |
| But a spokesperson for the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance said it believed the evidence showed they were "hunting within the law" and the trio may appeal. |