© 2025 Hunt Saboteurs Association
The news from across the UK over the last month has mainly coalesced on two topics – the mounting volume of hunting-related convictions and the number of hunt mergers. Both are fruits of the sheer hard work, dedication and quality of evidence captured in the field by comrades from all regions.
On the legal front, over the last month alone, 12 hunters were either convicted or have been charged for assaults on sabs or offences under the Hunting Acts in England or Scotland, with only one case being dropped by the CPS. The number of guilty pleas now being entered is also telling on the quality of the evidence we are providing which in turn gives the CPS little option but to proceed to court.
In terms of the amalgamation of hunts, three have been identified during May reflecting the dwindling support and country available to hunts in the face of our relentless sab pressure. Higher sab-to-hunt ratios lead to more hits and can often snowball the impact of our actions as can be seen in the east with successive merging of hunt into hunt in recent seasons.
Beds & Bucks Hunt Sabs have revealed that the Fitzwilliam are once again facing legal sanction with hunt staff charged under the Hunting Act following evidence captured by the group last November. Shaun Parish and Jacob Whalley have the initial plea hearing at Peterborough Magistrates on June 13th. Both have been convicted on hunting related incidents previously – Parish under the Hunting Act and Whalley for assault. The latter is due to become the new Grove & Rufford huntsman for the upcoming season where he should fit in perfectly with the criminality experienced by sabs groups at their meets across the midlands and the north.
B&BHS have also confirmed that a legal challenge has been launched to overturn this hunt’s use of an injunction in an attempt to bar sab scrutiny of their hunting activity.
A merger of two hunts in the region has been reported by East Herts Sabs as the only recently formed Puckeridge with Essex Union has now joined with the East Essex Hunt for the upcoming season. The relentless attention of all the groups in the region is beginning to reap rewards.
Another hunt-related assault conviction was secured by North London Hunt Saboteurs against 18 year old Tom Martin of the Puckeridge with Essex Union after he rode at and whipped one of their sabs at a meet last November. Back on the naughty step until you can learn to behave, sunshine.
The early summer campaign to sab the minkhound packs kicked off in fine style with two hits on the Dove Valley Minkhounds by multiple groups. Nottingham, West Midlands, Manchester, Sheffield and West Yorkshire sabs catching up with them near Uttoxeter early doors. Later in the month, Nottingham, Sheffield, West Mids and Northants teamed up to rout them close to a sewage works near Castle Donnington. These monsters are having a stinker of a season so far!
Further positives incoming from the region was the news that the North & South Shropshire Hunts have merged with the North Shropshire’s kennels already empty and falling into disrepair.
Violent thug, Luke Saddington – who rammed sab vehicles off the road at a Grove & Rufford meet a few years ago – was convicted of robbery and sentenced to 14 years in his absence having fled the country some time ago.
West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs are currently taking legal advice with a view to taking action against Warwickshire Police regarding the exposure of the infamous protocol agreed with the Warwickshire Hunt and other related actions such as the withdrawal of a CPN on the hunt. They have a fundraiser up and running to support next steps here.
A number of legal proceedings are underway in Scotland under the new Hunting with Dog act passed in 2023 following the great teamwork across the Glasgow, Edinburgh and Scottish Borders groups. Glasgow Hunt Sabs report that a man and a woman have both been charged with hunting offences whilst licensed by NatureScot. There are also another two charges of wildlife offences being brought against a man which Scottish Borders Hunt Sabs believe to be Matty Wilkinson of the Jed Forest Hunt.
Just over the other side of the border, news reached us last month that the Morpeth Foxhounds and West Percy Hunt are merging due to a lack of support ahead of the new season.
In a continuation of this month’s main topics, further assault convictions were secured on the back of East Yorkshire Coast Hunt Sabs evidence for Robert Tierney and Mark Hamilton, Master and 2nd Whip of the Derwent Hunt respectively.
The Blackmore & Sparkford Hunt’s violent notoriety grew further last month as North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs reported that terrierman Steve Paul pleaded guilty and was convicted for assault and then revealed another member of the hunt will be in court in October after pleading not guilty when facing the same charge.
Mendips Sabs & Somerset Sabs secured a conviction against Huntsman Guy Landau of the Weston & Banwell Harriers with West Somerset Vale Hunt (WBHWSV), who pleaded guilty to a Hunting Act Offence at Taunton Magistrates Court on 19th May. Their footage showed unequivocal, blatant cub hunting in East Huntspill on 2nd October 2024.
There was further legal success last month as the Seavington Huntsman, Duncan Cinnamond, pleaded guilty and was convicted under the hunting act following a kill in October last year and thanks to the solid evidence provided by Two Counties Hunt Saboteurs.
In a case of two steps forward and one back however, charges were dropped against Oliver Dale, huntsman of the North Cotswold, despite good evidence, shared by Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs, of the hunting or killing of several foxes last year.
Meanwhile, North Wales Hunt Saboteurs revealed that the Flint & Denbigh hunt are again looking for a new huntsman – which will be the third in three seasons – after Edward Clews quit.
Salisbury Plain Hunt Sabs have also been keeping tabs on the disarray at The Royal Artillery hunt with the departure of hunt staff amidst some truly biased reporting from The Telegraph. Time will tell if the new appointments – who don’t come with, shall we say, a proven track record of hunting ‘success’ – will hang around any longer. All eyes on “Major Johnny Two Names” and “Wingnut” for the new season!!
There was a shocking expose from Weymouth Animal Rights following a leak from within the hunting community regarding the breeding of hunt hounds and the subsequent brutal killing of puppies surplus to ‘requirements’.
In a first, the village of George Nympton voted to become a ‘Hunt Free Zone’ after incidents involving the Tiverton Staghounds. We will be watching with interest to see how this pans out.
If you are out enjoying the lovely weather and countryside in the coming weeks, remember now is the time when gamekeepers across the country are preparing for the start of the gamebird shooting season at the end of the summer. Please do contact your local sab groups if you stumble across a Larsen Trap or anything similar containing birds alive or dead. They will be able to provide advice on any welfare issues and will be able to discuss the appropriate next steps to be considered.
We are the only organisation that works directly in the field to save wildlife through direct action.