Verwood man banned from farmland and possessing catapults
34 year old Shane Chapman's been given a Criminal Behaviour Order
Last updated 26th Feb 2025
A Verwood man's been ordered to keep away from farmland, not to possess catapults, not to attend hunts or to cold call at properties.
34-year-old Shane Chapman has been given a five year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) by Weymouth Magistrates Court on Friday (21st February), following an investigation by Dorset Police's Rural Crime Team.
Chapman admitted assault and theft, in connection with an illegal hunting incident in the Minterne Magna area of West Dorset in September 2023.
His CBO comes with a number of conditions:
- Not to act or incite others to behave in an anti-social manner, that is to say a manner that causes harassment, alarm or distress to any persons.
- Not to be on any private agricultural land without prior written permission from the owner or legal representative of the land and to produce any such written permission when asked to do so by a police officer. Agricultural land is land used as arable, meadow, or grazing land for the purpose of farming, market gardens, allotments, nursey grounds or orchards.
- Not to enter any farm premises, yard, barns, outbuildings, gardens, driveway, or any other such land attached to those premises.
- Not to cold call at any residential or business premises. Calling at any residential address or business premises can be made with a prior appointment and agreement by the occupant or a person with authority to act on behalf of the occupant.
- Not to be in possession of a wild animal, wild bird or part of a wild animal or bird living or dead in Dorset without being able to prove where it came from.
- Not to be in possession of a catapult or shot such as ball bearings, pebbles or similar items capable of being used as shot or be in a vehicle with catapult or such shot, in a place to which the public have access or private land as a trespasser.
- Not to attend any location where there is a hunt taking place, whether that be pre planned, informal or organised.
- Not to attend, loiter or be near any hunt activity or to associate with any person linked with any hunt at the time of such activity. Should he find himself in such a position he must remove yourself immediately.
PC Sebastian Haggett, of the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team, said: “We will continue to take proactive action to prevent and deter rural crime and protect our communities.
“I would like to reserve special thanks for the Dorset Council Anti-Social Behaviour Team who have worked in partnership with us on this case so that Chapman could be brought before the courts to be held accountable for his actions.
“Finally, I would urge members of the public to please contact the police if Chapman is seen to breach the terms of his order so that the matter can be investigated.”