Hare coursing: Three suspects arrested after crashing car

Police say the proceeds of illegal betting on hare coursing are used by criminal gangs to fund their activities

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of hare coursing after crashing their car as they fled the scene, police have said.

Officers were called to Amber Hill, near Boston, shortly before 13:30 GMT on Monday, Lincolnshire Police said.

The men drove off in a Subaru Forester which collided with a coach at Swineshead Bridge. They were arrested a short time later.

The suspects, from Doncaster and Nottingham, have been released on bail.

Police have also issued a 48-hour dispersal order, which means anyone suspected of hare coursing can be told to leave the county and face arrest if they return.

It is the third such order to be issued in the past 10 days, and remains in place until 10:40 GMT on Thursday.

Under new measures introduced in August, anyone caught hare coursing faces an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.

Lincolnshire is one of the areas most frequently targeted by coursers due to its flat, rural landscape.

According to police, coursers are often engaged in illegal betting involving large sums of money and the dogs involved can also be worth thousands of pounds.

Supt Lee Pache, from the force's rural crimes team, said: "Some criminals will travel hundreds of miles to be involved and are often associated with organised crime gangs.

"What many people don't realise is that the hare coursing is a means to these gangs generating huge sums of money through live-streaming their activities for illegal gambling around the world. This then funds other criminal activity.

"We would urge members of the public to report any instances of active hare coursing by calling 999 or reporting online after the event."