How the Atherstone Hunt became history and how West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs made it happen.
On the 24th of September 2025 the Atherstone Hunt was officially consigned to the history books, almost six years after they disbanded and ceased hunting. A hard-fought campaign by West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs that spanned over six years, saw a demise in hunt support and due to a persistent sab presence, the hunt ultimately had no other option than to concede defeat.
The campaign was not only fought in the fields but featured public demonstrations and used media outlets to add further pressure and reach a wider audience. Often saboteurs were faced with extreme violence and threats from members of the Atherstone Hunt, such as when Ashley Davies, the son in law of the Atherstone Hunt chairman, violently attacked saboteurs who were filming the hunt. He continued the attack when he drove his quad bike into a sab knocking them into a ditch. Despite very clear video evidence of this, Leicestershire Police concluded that no further action would be taken, and unfortunately this sets the scene for the lack of involvement from Police, spanning multiple counties.
Despite West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs collecting mountains of evidence of illegal fox hunting and being subjected to harassment, death threats, racism, homophobic language, tyres slashed and much more hostility, Leicestershire Police did everything they could to sabotage the sabs. In 2015 this police force abused their position of power as they issued two saboteurs with PIN’s (Police Information Notice), after unsubstantiated claims were made to the police by a hunt supporter. These were later rescinded after intervention by the sabs local MP’s partnered by an online petition. A further notice was given to one of the saboteurs who again successfully had it removed in 2016. This sparked the end of Leicestershire Police issuing PIN’s and they were forced to apologise to the sab.
Repeated demonstrations at, what hunts class as pivotal moments in their calendars, further exposed the true face of hunting as violence escalated, with female sabs being subjected to extremely explicit threats. Ultimately, there was nowhere for the Atherstone Hunt and the corruption they were encapsulated in, to hide. WMHS has shone a torch on illegal fox hunting during an era when The Hunting Act 2004 is supposed to be being enforced.
In 2016 a saboteur recovered the body of a fox that had been killed by the Atherstone Hunt and submitted the remains for an autopsy, the results of which concluded that the fox would have suffered extreme pain and suffering. It determined that it would have taken around three minutes for the fox to die, whilst being subjected to multiple bites and tearing. The spinal injury suffered would have occurred from the fox, whilst still alive, being thrown into the air by hounds, which was witnessed by sabs.
Not ones to keep their cruelty exclusive to foxes, during a meet on the 19th of September 2015 hunt steward, Luke Smith simulated a sex act with a dead Canadian Goose. He threw the animal around by its wings before forcing its beak open. The hunt tried to deny that Luke was any part of their organisation, however there is footage showing him on horseback riding with them at other events. This footage sparked outrage and elevated the campaign in the public domain.
As riders dwindled and the Atherstone Hunt became a shadow of their former selves, this once prestigious 200-year-old hunt made one last ditch attempt to claw themselves back up, and this came in the form of a donation from a Warwickshire Hunt member. However, the damage was already done and until their final meet on the Saturday 17th of February 2018 West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs remained steadfast.
Amidst all the violence, police corruption and aggression, WMHS were never going to be deterred from their campaign and ultimately it resulted in not only the end of the Atherstone Hunt but the North Warwickshire Beagles who were kennelled at the same location. The huntsman for the Beagles was PC 1644 Brett Parker of Warwickshire Police, who after being exposed by WMHS resigned from the force. This wasn’t the only conflict of interest, with sabs highlighting that Leicestershire Wildlife Officer PC Sharon Roscoe was a regular rider with the Belvoir Hunt, a revelation which forced her to stand down from her role.
It has taken a further six years for the company, as a legal entity, to become entirely dissolved, as even with their dying breaths the hunt couldn’t agree on what they wanted to do, arguing amongst themselves and with their Liquidator who had to advise them against committing money laundering offences. Clawing on further still, they opened up a dispute about land ownership based on an archaic handshake, which ultimately had to be abandoned. The old kennels have now been converted into houses but the surrounding areas are steeped in the history of this campaign.
The Atherstone Hunt may be gone but West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs are still exposing illegal hunting by the Warwickshire Hunt, and the police corruption that comes with it.
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