QUANTOCK STAGHOUNDS JUDJMENT

[TITCHY69 10]

I GET NEWS LETTERS FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE THOUGHT THIS MIGHT INTERES SOME PEOPLE

 

 

 

1. Quantock Staghounds judgement

 

Last Friday the Crown Court in Taunton upheld the convictions under the Hunting Act of Richard Down and Adrian Pillivant of the Quantock Staghounds. High Court Judge Wyn Williams, who sat with two lay magistrates, found that "both men did not set out to break the law", but did not accept that "their belief that their activities was exempt was reasonable" and that they were therefore guilty of the offence.

 

It was frustrating that the court decided their belief that their hunting was legal was 'unreasonable' despite the fact that this was a very early test of what is undoubtedly a very complicated law. However, apart from the verdict, the judgement was much more positive than that of District Judge Parsons in the Magistrates' Court and it shows how the staghounds can hunt legally within the law.

 

The court agreed with us that 'flushing' deer or other mammals is likely to include a period of pursuit; it accepted that different hounds can be used to flush on any given day as long as no more than two are used at once; and it agreed that the stipulation for close control of dogs only referred to the part of a flush where they might obstruct the shooting of the mammal.

 

But it found that in order to comply with all the conditions of the 'flushing' exemption the Quantock Staghounds must ensure that:

 

 

Guns are placed close to the flushing point and there is no extended pursuit outside cover.

Reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that there are enough guns to shoot dead all deer flushed, although this does not mean that all deer flushed have to be killed.

Hunting can only take place if the 'primary purpose' is one of those laid down in the exemption. It is therefore important that meets are arranged in response to, for instance, reports of deer damage rather than being listed in advance in the traditional manner.

There are obvious practical changes which will have to be made to ensure that any flushing now complies with this judgement, but crucially it does not suggest, as the lower courts did, that hunting under the flushing exemption is not possible.

We may be frustrated by the nonsense and lack of logic in the Hunting Act, but pause for a moment to think what our opponents think of it. They spent decades campaigning for a law that they now find allows the staghounds to continue hunting as long as they take steps to kill more deer. And they call that a victory?

 

Simon Hart

[scotty 0]

I went out yesterday with them, it was nice to see them out, even if the staff and masters weren't in their red coats. I cant see how shooting everything that comes out the coverts is going to help the deer up on the hill, plus the mre guns you have up there with all the grockels walking the footpaths it shant be long before theres an accident. I cant help be think this will be the end of the 3 staghound packs in the southwest, will be a great shame as ive had some cracking hunts with them over the years, and a fair bit of venison off of them aswell but lets hope not.