Four men have been charged with hare coursing offences after Lincolnshire Police received several reports from the Common Drove area of Spalding.
Lincolnshire officers, supported by Cambridgeshire rural crime officers, attended Common Drove yesterday (Sunday, March 12) at around 10:30a.m where the men were located in a field, arrested and later charged.
Officers seized their vehicle and four dogs and charged 25-year-old Michael Chaulk of Bittams Lane Chertsey, Surrey, with:
- Hunting a wild mammal with dogs;
- Trespass with intent to pursue hares with dogs;
- Failing to comply with a community protection order.
21-year-old Edward Connors of Banstead, 20-year-old William Smith of Ecton Lane and a 17-year-old boy were charged with hunting a wild mammal with dogs and trespass with intent to pursue hares with dogs.
The men have been released on bail and will appear at court in the near future, Lincolnshire Police said.
Speaking on the incident, chief inspector Steve Williamson said one of the force’s priorities is hare coursing, and its rural crime action team continue to take “robust action against these offences”.
“Hare coursing is criminal, as well as cruel and we will continue to work with communities and partners to tackle the problem,” he said.
“The majority of those we have arrested in recent months have been from outside of the county. These suspects are often linked to organised crime groups as well as hare coursing.
“Hare coursers will often seek to commit other criminal offences against the community as a whole.
“There has also been far too many occasions where hare coursers are also placing the public and police officers in real danger due to dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.
“A message to anyone thinking about hare coursing in Lincolnshire: We will adapt our tactics and resources, and with the help of the people of Lincolnshire, we will arrest you, we will seize your vehicle, seize your dogs and work tirelessly to ensure a successful prosecution.”
Williamson urged the public to be vigilant and to contact the force if they spot any potential hare coursers.
