Devon and Cornwall Police Buy Police Dogs from Convicted Hunt Thug

Convicted criminal, and supporter of the Mendip Farmers Fox Hunt, Ashley Louth makes his living selling dogs to police forces across the UK.

During the 19-20 hunting season Louth was present at most Mendip Farmers Hunt meets and committed multiple offences including slashing tyres on a sab vehicle, making his highly trained dogs bite sabs, attacking sabs himself and stealing equipment. He was reported to police on multiple occasions and was eventually arrested for criminal damage to a sab vehicle. He failed to turn up to court in September 2021 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was tracked down in Scotland and was convicted on 1st November 2021 at Bristol Magistrates Court and had to pay a fine and compensation.

Louth’s business is called LouthK9 and the website states – “Ashley Louth is passionate about Belgian Malinois. He has years of experience, breeding and training from puppies all the way through to the executive level protection dog……Ashley also now supplies working line German Shepherds, Doberman’s and Dutch Herders, which he also supplies to several Police forces across both England and Scotland.”

As can be seen from the screenshot of Devon and Cornwall’s police twitter he sold them a puppy whilst he was on the run from Avon and Somerset Police.

He also sold Devon and Cornwall police a dog that then had to be returned to its previous owner following an investigation by Thames Valley Police. Devon and Cornwall’s police Twitter said – ‘Today is a very bad day because I have to take Remus back to his owner. When the breeder let me take Remus on approval he didn’t make me aware his owner was actively trying to get Remus back. Not allowed to reveal the specifics. Gutted.’

Lee Moon, Spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated:

“At a time when police forces are coming under ever greater scrutiny for the way they police illegal hunting this really is unbelievable behaviour by Devon and Cornwall Police. It’s hard to imagine that Louth, whilst wanted by one force, was selling dogs to the neighbouring police force. This is at best incompetence and at worst outright corruption. If that’s not bad enough he also sold them a dog that still belonged to someone else but even this blatant theft didn’t lead to any kind of prosecution from his friends in the force.”