Three Employees of Derwent Hunt Charged with Illegal Hunting
Hunt Saboteurs Association News Release 16th May 2017
Three employees of the Derwent hunt in North Yorkshire have been charged with illegal hunting.
The three: huntsman Sean McClarron, kennel huntsman Jason Marles (now huntsman at the Eggesford Hunt) and whip Damian Readman are due to appear at Scarborough Magistrates Court on 22nd May.
This follows footage obtained on the 1st November 2016 by members of Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs, at a meet in Wilton in North Yorkshire. Towards the end of the day sabs filmed a fox being bolted from underground and then chased by the pack of hounds. The law stipulates that if a fox is dug out it must not be released to be further hunted.
Lee Moon, Spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated: “It's telling that in practically the same week that the Tories are promising a vote on repeal, the hunting community are showing how above the law they believe themselves to be. Who else, apart from the Conservatives, would choose to reward law breakers by repealing the very law they so blatantly ignore?
Hunt saboteurs were around long before the hunting act and we'll continue to protect wildlife whatever the self serving lackeys of the Countryside Alliance in Westminster decide to do next.
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Middleton Hunt Hounds Killed on Road During Illegal Hunt
At least 3 hounds were killed and more injured at the Middleton Hunt yesterday when the hunt took them across a busy main road.
The huntsman took the hounds across a main busy road, with no spotter to check oncoming traffic on an upcoming bend. After the incident, one distraught huntsman said "why did we take them over the road?"
Lee Moon, Spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated: “The Middleton claim to be following an artificial trail. If that's the case why on earth would they lay a trail anywhere near such a busy road. In fact if they're trail hunting, as they claim, then surely they can plan their activities in such a way that they NEVER have to cross main roads. Their wanton disregard for animals lives extends to their own hounds as well as the wildlife they illegally chase and kill.
Only last week we reported that the Middleton had attacked hunt saboteurs. They have also been in the national media in recent months for sexually abusing a passerby and in 2015 they were implicated in keeping fox cubs in a barn near their kennels to be illegally hunted and killed. Every week, hunts across the country endanger human and animal lives with their reckless behaviour. The Middleton Hunt are clearly out of control and as usual it is hunt saboteurs who are bringing their illegal activities to the attention of police and public.”
Video of the incident can be viewed here.
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Hunt Saboteurs Assaulted by Notorious Yorkshire Hunt
Hunt saboteurs were assaulted by members of the Middleton Hunt at their meet in Uncleby, North Yorkshire on Saturday 18th March. Riders from the hunt stole a video camera and two body cams, hit sabs on the head with whips, attempted to ride them down and jumped off their horses to continue the attacks. One female saboteur has cracked ribs after being crushed between two horses.
Other sabs suffered serious head injuries and broken fingers. Multiple ambulances had to be called to the scene and several of the injured were encouraged to attend hospital. The attack was filmed, attackers have been identified and this information has been passed to the police who are investigating. The footage can't currently be released due to the ongoing investigation.
Lee Moon, Spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated: “In 2015 an undercover investigation implicated the Middleton hunt in the rearing of captive foxes to be illegally hunted. In January of this year huntsman Charles Carter was filmed making sexually inappropriate comments to a member of the public. He subsequently had to resign as a Tory councillor. The hunt have now added violent assault and theft to their list of crimes and are fast becoming one of the most notorious in the country.
We repeatedly see hunters using their horses as weapons and, has been shown in recent years, this can result in serious injury. We are hopeful that the large number of police who attended the scene yesterday are indicative of how seriously they are taking this situation and we look forward to a swift and positive investigation.
Lord Middleton of Birdsall was Joint Master of the Hunt until 2013 and has their kennels on his Birdsall estate. It is alleged that that he no longer allows the hunt on his land due to the recent controversies. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to having his name associated to robbery and violent assault.”
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