Dog ban for London poachers is legal first, Essex Police say

Two men were found with dogs in a private crop field

Two poachers have been banned from owning or keeping dogs for three years in what prosecutors have described as a legal first.

David Hilden, 39, and Tyron Young, 35, both from south London, were walking dogs across private fields in Saffron Walden, Essex, on 15 October 2022 when they were stopped by police.

At Colchester Magistrates' Court this week both men admitted to a charge of daytime trespass in pursuit of game.

As well as the ban, both were fined.

On Tuesday, magistrates heard the two men had travelled to the Saffron Walden area from south London with dogs to be used to poach game.

Essex Police said two of the men's dogs were lurchers on slip leads.

The force said there were no public footpaths in the area on Peacock Hill near Littlebury and the landowner had not given the men permission to be there.

A vehicle was seized during the arrest of two poachers from London

Hilden, of Lathams Way, Croydon, south London, told police he was on the field to pursue rabbits.

Young, of Bolton Drive, Morden, south London, had claimed to be walking his dog.

Both admitted to a charge of daytime trespass in pursuit of game.

The court order, banning them from owning or keeping dogs for three years, was the first made under section 66 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, police said.

The act means people can be handed disqualification orders for certain poaching offences and pursuing hares with dogs.

Hilden was also fined £120 and ordered to pay court costs of £105 and a victim surcharge of £48.

Young was fined £200, ordered to pay £105 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Essex Police said the sentence was "believed to be a national first" under the new law which came into force in August last year.

Sally Robinson of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: "This type of offending has a profound impact on rural and farming communities which is why I am thrilled that, in a legal first, we successfully asked the court to apply disqualification orders in this case.

"I hope this sends a warning to anyone who thinks about poaching any form of wildlife, that we will not hesitate to ask for these orders whenever possible."

PC Nigel Wright, of Essex Police's rural engagement team, said: "The poaching of wild animals is extremely cruel but it can also cause a lot of damage to crops and farmland which is very costly for the land owner or farmer.

"Dogs are integral to poaching and I am delighted that the magistrates were able to use this new legislation to deprive these two poachers of any access to dogs - even just walking someone else's - for the next three years.