Lincolnshire hare coursing police make arrests

The Hunting Act 2004 made hare coursing illegal and anyone convicted can be fined up to £5,000 by a magistrate

Sixteen people have been arrested or summonsed to court in just 10 days for hare coursing offences in Lincolnshire.

The coursers, from outside of the county, were dealt with for various hare coursing offences at either Dowsby Fen, Rippingale or Stickney.

Police said a new approach to tackle the illegal act, by increasing patrols to be based where there is a known issue, was a "great success".

A small team of wildlife officers were previously responsible for the county.

Coursers prefer flat, rural areas where the dogs can see their prey more easily - and tend to hunt in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk

Since 2005, hare coursing has been illegal throughout the UK. The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt wild mammals with dogs.

In the latest cases, five men from Surrey were arrested after a report of hare coursing at Dowsby Fen.

Eight men from Middlesbrough and North Yorkshire were caught near Rippingale and summoned to appear at court.

Another three men from Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire were summoned after being caught at Stickney.

Also three men from Berkshire were escorted to the Cambridgeshire border after being stopped at Deeping St James.

Lincolnshire Police have also seized vehicles used by the coursers until the court hearing.

Wildlife officers from Lincolnshire Police have trained colleagues based in areas where hare coursing is a known issue

Ch Insp Jim Tyner, of Lincolnshire Police, said: "We continue to have Operation Galileo [police operation to tackle hare coursing] in place to respond to reports of hare coursing.

"However, this year, rather than a team of five officers who were expected to respond to incidents throughout the 2,687 square miles of Lincolnshire, we have made the decision to equip and skill our local neighbourhood officers in the powers and legislation which relate to hunting with dogs."

Hare coursing is recognised as having a significant impact on rural communities and disproportionately increasing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour.

"Our message to hare coursers is very clear," Ch Insp Tyner said.

"If you come to our county to commit offences, our officers are ready to deal with you."

Hare coursing

• Coursers often use binoculars to spot hares

• The dogs - usually greyhounds, lurchers or salukis - are on a slip lead threaded so it can be easily released

• The coursers will walk along the field to frighten the hare into the open

• The dog catches the hare and kills it by "ragging" it - shaking the animal in its teeth

• The dead hare is usually left in the field or thrown in a ditch

Source: Lincolnshire Police