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Four poachers have been convicted of hunting and driving offences after police swooped in a small Yorkshire village.
Police officers, a helicopter and dogs were on the scene in Kilpin, near Goole, after the initial report in September last year.
Humberside Police said “all four offenders were pursued, located and subsequently arrested” in Burringham, North Lincolnshire.
The four men and a vehicle were searched and officers found a thermal scope, slip leads and GPS equipment, police said.
Following an investigation by the force’s rural task force, four men were convicted at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court.
Robert Doig, 27, of Dalwhamie Street, Kinross, was found guilty of careless driving, driving while disqualified, and illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs. He received a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, a 21-month driving ban, and was ordered to pay a £550 fine, £160 in court costs as well as a £154 victim surcharge.
Joseph Smith, 41, of Golden Hind Drive, Worcestershire, and Tony Taylor, 24, of Hodfar Road, Worcestershire, were both found guilty of illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs. They both received a £750 fine, collection orders, and were ordered to pay £160 in court cost as well as a £300 victim surcharge.
Walter Varey, 31, of Paradise Farm, Bedfordshire, was also found guilty of illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs. He received a £550 fine, a collection order, and was ordered to pay £160 in court costs as well as a £220 victim surcharge.
In addition, both Doig and Smith received five-year Criminal Behaviour Orders, prohibiting them from being on private or agricultural land within Humberside without written permission of the landowner. They also both cannot be present in any vehicle with a sighthound, greyhound, lurcher type dog or crossbreed which is not registered and/or microchipped while outside a five-mile radius of their home.
After the men were convicted, PC Nick Beech, from Humberside Police, said: “I hope this case along with sentences and Criminal Behaviour Order put in place sends out a strong message to anyone with intentions on travelling to Humberside to conduct illegal hare coursing activities.
“I would like to pass on my continued thanks to local farm watch community for supporting our response to this incident and the courage to attend court – together we will make our region a hostile place for rural, heritage and wildlife crime.
“Also, I am grateful for the support of the roads policing unit, dog support unit and NPAS [National Police Air Service], without their help this result could not have been achieved.”