Buckinghamshire kennel huntsman fined after guilty plea over illegal hare hunt
Drone footage helped investigators build case after beagle pack seen pursuing and killing hare on farmland in Northamptonshire
A 48-year-old kennel huntsman from Buckinghamshire has been fined after admitting to unlawfully hunting a wild animal with dogs.
Phillip Kennedy, from Stowe, appeared in court following an incident linked to a hunt involving the Stowe Beagles on 13 November last year. The case was brought under the Hunting Act 2004.
The court heard that a member of the public recorded drone footage showing hounds chasing a European brown hare across fields at Crockwell Farm in the village of Eydon, West Northamptonshire. The animal was pursued across open ground before being caught and killed near a fence line.
The footage also showed Kennedy present at the scene alongside other participants. Instead of recovering the hare from the dogs, he was seen remaining with the group, which continued interacting with the pack after the kill.
An investigation was carried out by Northamptonshire Police’s Rural Crime Team, leading to Kennedy being charged with one count of hunting a wild mammal with dogs. The offence carries a maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine.
At Northampton Magistrates’ Court on 4 June, Kennedy entered a guilty plea. He was ordered to pay a £258 fine, along with £585 in court costs and a £103 victim surcharge.
PC Chloe Gillies, of Northamptonshire Police Rural Crime Team, who led the investigation, said: “As the kennel huntsman of Stowe Beagles, Phillip Kennedy knew that allowing his dogs to chase and kill a hare was cruel and illegal.
“Even after the hare was dead, Kennedy and the rest of the group, stood and shook hands in a congratulatory manner instead of stepping in to stop the dogs from continuing to attack the hare.
“We take all reports of crime against wildlife seriously and I would like to extend my thanks to the witness who provided evidence in this case as it shows the importance of reporting any alleged breaches of the Hunting Act 2004.”