A man has been found guilty of hunting a wild mammal with dogs, after a fox was killed.
Benjamin Halsall, 24, from Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, had denied the charge under the Hunting Act 2004 and told Coventry Magistrates’ Court he helped at a trail hunt and everything had happened very quickly on 9 October 2023.
The court heard it was his job was to spot any wild animal breaking cover and ensure the pack of hounds did not give chase, but District Judge David Murray concluded he made no effort to intervene.
Halsall was fined £1,000. Warwickshire Hunt Limited was acquitted of the same offence. The judge said there was no evidence it was involved.
The prosecution claimed Halsall, described as the whipper-in, was the eyes and ears of the hunt in the Idlicote area of Warwickshire.
He was on horseback and the court was told his job was to spot any wild animal breaking cover and ensure the hounds did not chase it.
The magistrates’ court was shown bodycam video taken by Rebecca Forrester from Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs, which showed her trying to get between the fox and the hounds, but the fox was quickly killed by the pack of dogs.
Halsall had told the court he had been asked to help with a trail hunt on the day but had not been involved in the organisation of it.
He said he believed he had found himself a good spot to observe it and believed it was going to plan until the fox emerged.
The defendant said at that time he decided to make no movement to encourage the fox to move past and did not shout out because he did not want to encourage the hounds.
He saw the fox being killed, but it all happened within five seconds, he said.
His defence counsel said he was doing his best and simply made the wrong decision.
But District Judge Murray said there was no evidence an artificial trail had been laid for trail hunting.
He also said Halsall, even if he had volunteered to help out in the role of whipper-in, had a responsibility in law to anticipate and intervene, but did not do so.
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