PC Sebastian Haggett, of the rural crime team, said: “This kind of illegal activity has a significant impact on our rural communities, with the potential to cause damage to crops, as well as other issues caused by vehicles driving over their land. At a further hearing today (Thursday, July 28) the four were all made the subject of a criminal behaviour order restricting their activities for five years.īurton, of Basildon, Essex Catanach, of Romford, Essex Holmes, of Milton, Cambridgeshire, and Lee, of Stondon Massey, Essex, must not be on private land without written permission must not enter Dorset with an air rifle or sighthound - such as a greyhound or whippet - and cannot come to Dorset with a slingshot. Officers attended and, following a search, four men were arrested and a number of items were seized, including a vehicle and an air rifle.įollowing an investigation by Dorset Police's rural crime team, all four men were charged with an offence under the Game Act 1831. Police were told the men were shooting at the hares from moving vehicles. Read more: Mystery Sherborne cherry tree felling puzzles town as police called in It was reported that four men in off-road vehicles were trespassing on farmland as they chased hares. Shortly before 9am on July 30, 2021, Dorset Police received a report of suspected poaching in the Cashmoor area. As well as being fined they were ordered to pay court costs and a victim surcharge.

John Frederick Burton, 28 Tommy Edward Catanach, 25 William Holmes, 22 and Levie Lee, 20, were sentenced at Poole Magistrates’ Court in April after admitting trespassing in pursuit of game. It comes after they were issued with fines earlier this year. Four men caught shooting at hares in Dorset have been hit with court orders to stop them going poaching in the county again.

Sighthound camera