Man jailed for Sibbertoft assault on hunt saboteur

Christopher Mardles admitted causing grievous bodily harm

A man whose horse trampled a hunt protester has been jailed for 18 months.

The incident happened in September 2020 when the Northamptonshire-based Pytchley Hunt was in the Sibbertoft area of the county.

Nottingham Crown Court heard that Chris Mardles rode his horse towards a man in his 60s.

The man was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.

On the morning of 5 September 2020, the Pytchley Hunt was being monitored by hunt saboteurs when it arrived in Sibbertoft near Market Harborough.

The court heard that a confrontation took place between members of the hunt and the saboteurs, and cameras carried by the protesters were damaged.

Christopher Mardles, 27, from Petworth, West Sussex, rode his horse towards the protesters and it collided with the man.

He had to be airlifted to hospital with broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a split shoulder blade and nerve damage.

'Screaming in pain'

In his victim impact statement, the saboteur wrote: "I still keep playing that moment over in my head all the time. I thought I was going to die, I really did.

"I was screaming out in pain and they just carried on hunting."

Mardles pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm during a hearing in March.

He was found not guilty on a further charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent after the prosecution offered no evidence.

The air ambulance was called to treat the man after he was hit by Chris Mardles' horse

'Historic moment'

The lead investigator, Det Con Craig Copeland, of Northamptonshire Police, said he hoped the sentence would bring the victim some "much-needed closure"."I welcome the sentence handed out to Mardles today as his reckless actions that day could have had fatal consequences.

"The injuries he left this man with were extensive and he continues on his journey to recovery. I would like to thank him for his support during our investigation," he said.

A spokesperson for Northants Hub Saboteurs said: "If we are to see more brutal violence handed out to saboteurs across the country, then this outcome can play its part in holding the law to account and forcing their hand to put violent fox hunters behind bars where they truly belong.

"This is a historic moment in the war to end fox hunting."

The Pytchley Hunt has been invited to comment.