HSA News

On Monday December 2nd, a court in Greenland extended Paul Watson’s detention until December 18th, whilst the Danish Ministry of Justice decided whether to extradite him to Japan.

Yesterday, Tuesday 3rd December, South Shropshire Hunt terrierman David Conde pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to interfering with a badger sett.

Conde was caught in January 2024 on hidden cameras in woodland west of Shrewsbury, blocking badger sett entrances with a spade just ahead of a visit by the South Shropshire Hunt.

Today, three members of the hunt – William Hand,Toby Holly and David Conde – appeared in Telford Magistrates Court to answer the charges. Conde pleaded guilty to the offence, and will be sentenced on the 29th January next year. The other two men pleaded not guilty, and their cases will go to trial on the 12th June next year.

When West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs arrived at a Dummer Beagles meet in Great Wolford, Warwickshire, they launched their drone to assist the foot team in locating the hunt.

However, not realising the drone was above them, the Dummer Beagles carried on hunting with huntsman Stephen Duckmanton casting the beagles out across a field in the hope of finding the scent of a hare. It wasn’t long before a hare was put up. In the footage A hare waits until the last second before quickly putting a field between itself and the chasing pack of beagles.

Here at the HSA, we have a bit of an aversion to men in red coats. However, we are prepared to make an exception for

Yesterday we heard of the passing of former Labour deputy leader and anti-hunt campaigner John Prescott. The former deputy Prime Minister was one of the

The HSA fights on many fronts and, while we have been focussing on hunt opening meets in recent weeks, we don’t forget the injustices taking place elsewhere. With this in mind, moorland campaigner and author Bob Berzins considers the parlous state of Britain’s uplands – and how we got here. 

Following tonight’s shocking ITV News exposé, West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs sent the following report:

Like all hunts, the Warwickshire Hunt causes misery to local communities and our wildlife – and we are the only line of defence for foxes in Warwickshire.

On Monday 11th November, Ryan Brennan – terrierman at the Wrexham-based Sir Watkins Williams-Wynn (aka Wynnstay) Hunt – pleaded guilty to interfering with a badger sett. The offences, which took place in January of this year, were captured in a covert surveillance operation.

Kidderminster Magistrates Court branded Brennan’s offences as “serious” and handed him a 10-week prison sentence (suspended for 12 months), a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. Brennan must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months.

Another week, and yet another video showing the Wynnstay Hunt engaged in illegal fox hunting. This latest covert footage shows the previously convicted hunt preventing a fox going to ground in a badger sett and scaring her back towards their pack of hounds.

The video, taken on 5 th November near Wrexham, features the hunt’s employed terrierman Ryan Brennan – currently under investigation for causing a dog to enter a badger sett – and Alistair Johnson, a regular lackey for the Wynnstay.

The badger sett is on a public footpath in woodland known to be frequented by foxes. Normally, the hunt block up this particular badger sett with spades – a practice they have been found guilty of in the past.

Somerset Hunt Sabs report…

A bit of backstory: Wednesday 8th January 2020 – just before Covid brought the country to a halt – a village hall on the Quantocks hosted an open meeting to discuss the fate of the struggling West Somerset Vale Hunt. The decision was made to merge with the Weston & Banwell Harriers “for preservation of hunting in this area”.

Fast-forward to September 2022 and Steve Burton is trotted out as the new huntsman for the merged and catchily-titled Weston & Banwell Harriers/West Somerset Vale (WBHWSV). But this year a group of dedicated locals has also entered the scene. Most of us had spent a decade opposing the badger cull and we are now determined to confront illegal foxhunting too.

With most fox hunts having held their opening meets last Saturday, the HSA is today releasing further footage showing the cruel and illegal practice of ‘bolting’ taken by one of the hunters themselves.

As the video opens, a gang of hunters are using a spade, and perhaps terriers, to dislodge a fox from his underground refuge. As soon as the terrified fox bolts downhill, he is pursued by a large pack of baying fell hounds. Hunt supporters – eager to get a view of the fox’s suffering – can be seen scattered across the distant fellside.

While we do not know the fate of this fox, this form of bolting is designed to keep the hounds ‘in blood’ by all but guaranteeing a kill.

The Hunt Saboteurs Association is once again urging its supporters to take action in support of Captain Paul Watson. Paul’s detention was extended by a further three weeks by a Danish court on October 23rd , putting his next hearing back until November 13th.

Captain Paul Watson will need very little introduction to supporters of the Hunt Saboteurs Association. Indeed, there has always been a close affinity between hunt sabs and Sea Shepherd/CPWF (Captain Paul Watson Foundation), with many sabs having crewed on Sea Shepherd/CPWF vessels over the years.