Three dogs and car seized by Essex Police after reports of illegal hunting in Panfield
Community protection warning issued following deer chase by dogs
Essex Police's Rural Engagement Team has seized three dogs and a vehicle in Panfield after receiving reports of a deer being pursued by dogs in a local field.
The incident on 11th October led to the stop and search of four men by officers, resulting in the seizing of the car and the dogs inside it under suspicion of involvement in criminal activities.
A 28-year-old man has been issued with a community protection warning (CPW), valid for three years, requiring him to cease specified behaviours or face further legal action.
The man was also interviewed and reported for consideration of prosecution under the Hunting Act 2004 on suspicion of permitting a dog to hunt a wild mammal.
PC Dane Wyatt, a rural engagement officer, highlighted the seriousness of deer and hare coursing, noting their connections to organised crime, trespassing, animal cruelty, and threats to landowners.
Wyatt stated that if a CPW is ignored, further action such as community protection notices, fines, or criminal prosecution could follow, with courts taking breaches seriously.
The issued CPW warns that the recipient's conduct is unreasonable and adversely affects the quality of life for locals, pointing to issues of illegal coursing, lamping, poaching, trespassing, and related anti-social behaviours across multiple counties in eastern England.
Police forces in Essex, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk, and Suffolk, alongside the National Police Air Service, continue to collaborate to combat illegal hunting activities across county borders.