West Grinstead huntsman cleared of illegal fox hunting

William Bishop appeared at Worthing Magistrates' Court

A huntsman has been cleared of illegal fox hunting.

William Bishop, 51, was accused of letting hounds from the Crawley and Horsham Hunt pursue a fox during a meeting near Worthing last year.

He was charged under the 2004 Hunting Act with engaging or participating in the pursuit of a wild mammal with one or more dogs.

A district judge at Worthing Magistrates' Court ruled Mr Bishop had no case to answer and cleared him.

The case was brought after hunt monitors filmed the alleged incident at a meeting at Angmering Park near Worthing on 21 January 2020.

The court was shown video footage filmed by a witness, showing hounds picking up the scent of a fox and pursuing it. Mr Bishop, of Kennel Lane, West Grinstead, was not seen in the footage.

Acquitting him, District Judge Amanda Kelly said there was no evidence to show he was aware of the presence of the live fox.