Today Atherstone Hunt supporter Laura Caines was found guilty of two counts of assault by beating at Loughborough Magistrates Court.
The incident happened on the 28th February 2015 after a fox was chased and illegally hunted by the Atherstone. Stuart Barton, the huntsman, immediately rides his horse into the nearest saboteur pinning them against a wall. Caines then attacks the same saboteur from behind by putting them in a head lock, hitting them over the head and then attempting to steal their camcorder. She then moved on to the other sab who was filming, grabbed her and then dug her nails into the sabs cheek causing it to bleed. She again tried to steal the camcorder that had filmed the incident.
Magistrates found her guilty in her absence after offering no defence. A warrant has been issued for her arrest so that she can be sentenced.
Lee Moon, press spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated: “It is always gratifying when one of the violent bloodsports community is held accountable for their actions. The police and CPS were forced to act in this instance due to compelling video evidence that even they couldn’t brush under the carpet. This incident is just the tip of the iceberg however of what West Midlands Hunt Sabs have experienced from the Atherstone hunt over the past two years. They are regularly subjected to physical and verbal abuse which is ignored by the police. They also have video evidence of illegal hunting which is also ignored. The calibre of the Atherstone hunt and their supporters is obvious to all decent people and we expect a more assertive approach from Leicestershire and Warwickshire police in the future.”
Video evidence of the assault can be seen here:
Atherstone Hunt supporter guilty of assault – West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs | Facebook