Five Men Sentenced for Hare Coursing Offences in Hampshire Under New Legislation
In a significant victory for wildlife protection and rural community safety, five individuals have been successfully convicted for hare coursing offences in Hampshire. These convictions mark the first instances of successful prosecution under the new legislation introduced in April 2022, reflecting the determined efforts of the police to combat this illicit activity.
The convictions were the result of a thorough investigation by the specialist Country Watch team, highlighting the dedication of the police to address this issue head-on.
Under the provisions of Sections 63 & 64 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which specifically address trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs and being equipped for such activities, the five individuals faced charges. They subsequently pleaded guilty in Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on 03 August, 2023.
The incident that led to these convictions occurred on the evening of 18 January of this year. Police received a report that a group of people had entered farmland in the Itchen Abbas area, causing £1,100 worth of damage to crops in the process. They then began hare coursing in a field.
Police swiftly deployed to the area, locating the vehicles involved, a Mercedes and a Jeep. The Jeep, driven by 35 year old Lloyd Jefferies, reversed and collided with a police car. Once police apprehended the occupants of the Jeep, they conducted a search of the vehicle, uncovering three Lurcher dogs, five deceased hares, bolt croppers, and a lamp.
Meanwhile, the Mercedes, driven by 40 year old Martin Eli Buckland, left the scene and was pursued by police to Southampton, where the occupants were detained. Inside the Mercedes, officers found two additional Lurcher dogs, two deceased rabbits, a slingshot, and a lamp.
The offenders, along with their respective charges, are as follows:
Leonard Pinnick, aged 36, of Montgomery Road in Southampton, pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs and being equipped for it.
Shane Jefferies, aged 27, of Hornbeam Close in Hedge End, also pleaded guilty to the same charges.
Lloyd Jefferies, aged 35, of Tanhouse Lane in Botley, faced multiple charges, including trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs, being equipped for it, criminal damage, and dangerous driving.
Martin Tony Buckland, aged 19, from Hound Road in Netley, pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs and being equipped for it.
Martin Eli Buckland, aged 40, from Hound Road in Netley, faced similar charges to Lloyd Jefferies, including criminal damage and dangerous driving.
Appearing before the same court today, Monday, 25 September, Lloyd Jefferies and Martin Eli Buckland were ordered to pay £550 each in compensation to the landowner, covering the full £1,100 worth of damage caused to the crops.
Jefferies received a 12 month driving ban, a two year ban on owning dogs, a 12 month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work, and various fines and surcharges.
Buckland received similar penalties, including a 12 month community order with 50 hours of unpaid work.
The passengers in the vehicles also faced legal consequences:
Martin Tony Buckland received a 12 month community order with 40 hours of unpaid work, a fine, kenneling costs, court costs, a victim surcharge, and a two year ban on owning dogs.
Shane Jefferies was given a 12 week curfew, a 12 month community order with 40 hours of unpaid work, a fine, kenneling costs, court costs, a victim surcharge, and a two year ban on owning dogs.
Leonard Pinnick was handed an 18 month community order with 60 hours of unpaid work, attendance at a ‘Thinking & Skills Programme,’ a fine, kenneling costs, court costs, a victim surcharge, and a two year ban on owning dogs.
Kenneling costs were recovered from all the defendants under Section 65 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which was introduced last year.
The case also involved a 17 year old boy who was arrested by the police. Officers are working with the Youth Offending Team to determine an appropriate outcome for him.
Police Staff Investigator Andrew Williams, from the Country Watch team, said: “Hare coursing is a scourge on our rural communities. It involves the senseless persecution of wildlife, whilst also making life miserable for innocent farmers and landowners, who suffer trespass and damage to their property which accompanies this type of offending.
“The Country Watch team take a very robust stance against hare coursing, and will do everything in our power to respond to reports, assist landowners and target the criminals responsible.
“Last year new legislation was introduced which is bolstering the police’s efforts to target hare coursers, bring them to justice and recover costs from them. I hope rural communities can be reassured that we are making the most of this legislation.
“We are coming into autumn now where we see the bulk of annual hare coursing reports. Please remain vigilant, and report any suspicious people or vehicles on private land to police. If a crime is in progress, dial 999.”
To report information, individuals can call 101 or submit details online here: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/
For those with a business connection to the rural and wildlife environment, you are eligible to be a member of DISC. Please email [email protected]
This successful prosecution underlines the significance of the new legislation in combatting hare coursing and sends a clear message that such activities will not be tolerated in Hampshire and the wider UK countryside.