Wiltshire PCC demands tougher sentences on hare coursers
Philip Wilkinson says the current measures are "a tickle"
Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner is calling for tougher sentences for people convicted of hare coursing.
Hare coursing see's individuals betting tens of thousands of pounds on whether a dog will catch a hare or not.
Current sentencing allows for an unlimited fine and a maximum jail term of six months.
But PCC Philip Wilkinson believes a much stronger deterrent is required.
"A £300 fine to people who are prepared to bet tens of thousands of pounds on gambling hare coursingis a tickle. It's not even a slap and it's grossly disproportionate. It makes me extremely angry," he told Greatest Hits Radio.
Mr Wilkinson believes the punishment should "fit the crime" because the people who are hare coursing are dangerous people.
"In the act of hair coursing these individuals, will cause a great deal of damage, to crops, to fences and to gates.
"They will drive these vehicles anywherea nd if anybody gets goes out any farmers or bailiffs or just members of the rural community go out to challenge them, they will do them harm."
The PCC spoke to us about an incident in December, close to the Wiltshire/Hampshire border, where a farmer confronted hare coursers on his land.
"They ran him over deliberately and broke both of his legs," the PCC said, adding: "We thought at one stage he was going to have to have one of his legs amputated."
He said it's extremely frustrating to the rural communities who feel threatened by hare coursers that the punishments aren't deterring people from the act.
Mr Wilkinson said the people involved in hare coursing are usually connected to organised crime gangs, stealing expensive farming vehicles to sell in eastern Europe.
"They don't care who they will harm and as a number of farmers have said, they're going to kill somebody very soon," he said.