Hare coursers fined over £2,800 after Hampshire police investigation
Men found guilty of hare coursing on Hampshire farmland
Three men have been collectively fined over £2,800 following a police investigation into hare coursing activity in Hampshire.
On the afternoon of 19th November 2024, reports of hare coursing led police to farmland near Bullington Cross alongside the A34.
The police responded swiftly, deploying a helicopter which identified three men and two dogs in the fields.
The men were stopped by officers, and the dogs were seized and have since been rehomed.
The men were identified as George Smith, 23, and George Mark Smith, 46, both from Lyne Road in Virginia Water, Surrey, along with Frank Wickens, 48, from Monks Hill in Emsworth.
Following an investigation, the men were charged under Section 63 of the Police, Crime and Sentencing Act 2022 with trespassing intent to pursue hares with dogs.
Despite denying the offences, they were found guilty by Magistrates in Aldershot on 1st May.
Police continue to patrol Hampshire's rural areas, responding to calls and proactively stopping suspicious individuals or vehicles.