© 2025 Hunt Saboteurs Association
A secret deal between Warwickshire Police and the Warwickshire Hunt has finally been released, following a two year campaign by West Midlands Hunt Sabs to expose the truth.
The ‘civil protocol’, released by the force yesterday after the conclusion of an ‘independent’ review into the matter, lays bare the shocking lack of transparency, double standards and collusion between the force and a hunt accused of criminal behaviour.
In December 2022, the Warwickshire Hunt was issued with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) for antisocial behaviour, following a previous Community Protection Warning and what the police described as “unreasonable and dangerous use of the roads.”
This followed many incidents recorded by hunt sabs, including foxes hunted across busy roads, out of control hounds running in and out of traffic, causing car accidents, and even the hunt holding up an ambulance, as well as further complaints from other members of the public.
However, this CPN was dropped just days before it was due in court and was replaced by a secret deal between the police and the hunt which hasn’t been seen until now.
After two years of tireless campaigning from West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs, which has involved public protest, questions in Parliament, national media coverage and even serving police officers speaking out, the truth has finally come out for all to see.
Despite referencing transparency and accountability as core values, the agreement fell far short.
As well as being hidden from public view, the contents of the agreement effectively enabled the Warwickshire Hunt to continue breaking the law without fear of repercussion from the police.
“In the event that the Warwickshire Police considers there to have been a material breach, it will in the first instance bring that suspected breach to the attention of people in the hunt.”
Shockingly, if the response of the hunt was deemed unsatisfactory by the police, it was to be passed on to the so-called ‘governing body’ of hunting, the British Hound Sports Association. This organisation was previously known as the Hunting Office, widely discredited after the release of the ‘smokescreen webinars’ which advised hunters how best to circumvent the Hunting Act to avoid prosecution. This ‘self policing’ makes a mockery of the law.
“In the event that the response is not considered to be satisfactory, the Police can, at their discretion, report the breach to the Hunt’s regulatory body, the BHSA”
It was agreed that the hunt would receive a ‘heads up’ if the police were to attend meets, with the police arranging to meet a member of the hunt leadership an hour before the start of their hunting day. In what other scenario would the police give people accused of breaking the law prior notice before turning up?
“If the Police intend to join all or part of a hunting day, they will arrange to meet with a member of the Hunt management at least one hour before the start of the Hunt”
If anyone dared complain about the Warwickshire Hunt, their complaint would be immediately forwarded by email to the Warwickshire Hunt itself, giving them opportunity to ‘get their story straight’ whilst also allowing them the possibility of working out who made the complaint.
“As far as the law permits it will relay any credible complaints made by members of the public to the email address supplied by the Hunt as soon as reasonably practicable after the complaints have been received.”
Finally the Warwickshire Hunt got monthly access to a senior officer within Warwickshire Police.
“It will meet remotely with Chief Inspector _ or another colleague identified by _, on a monthly basis across the hunting season.”
Who else gets this access? And what other bodies facing legal action from the police receive this special treatment?
It should be noted that as well as the incidents of antisocial behaviour, the Warwickshire Hunt Ltd and a member of the hunt are currently subject to legal proceedings after killing a fox in 2023.
The secret protocol was finally made public by Warwickshire Police yesterday (8th January), as the findings of an ‘independent review’ into the issue were given.
And despite the points we have highlighted above, while noting failures in communication from the police, the review concluded that Warwickshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe’s relationship with pro-hunt campaigning group, Countryside Alliance, (he is a member) did not lead to ‘inappropriate influence’ of hunt policing.
However, the absence of publicly disclosed information about these potential conflicts of interest, and the fact that the review was commissioned by Seccombe himself raises serious questions about the impartiality of the review.
West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs are calling for a full and impartial public inquiry, a call supported by Matthew Western, MP for Warwick & Leamington.
West Midlands Hunt Sabs commented,
“We have been campaigning for two years for this secret deal to be made public. Now that it has, it’s understandable why Warwickshire Police tried to keep it a secret for so long.
“It has vindicated everything we have previously said. It is corrupt, two-tier policing. Now we need a public enquiry into which officers signed this off and why they thought striking a secret deal with an organised crime group was a good idea.”
A spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association said,
“The gentleman’s agreement between Warwickshire Police and the Warwickshire Hunt shows that some police forces are allowing hunts to police themselves, making a mockery of the law.
“If the protocol was meant to reassure the public, why was it hidden from view? The lack of openness undermines its credibility and suggests a deliberate attempt to avoid scrutiny.
“We need a public inquiry into such secret deals, the relationships between senior police officers and Police & Crime Commissioners, hunters and their lobby groups.
“Collusion, cover ups and two-tier policing will only allow illegal hunting and its associated cruelty and criminality to continue, and public confidence to fall.
“Now more than ever we need a real hunting ban, and real enforcement of that law.”
Support West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs
Take action and demand a real ban on hunting!
We are the only organisation that works directly in the field to save wildlife through direct action.