Huntsman Mark Hankinson wins appeal against conviction

A prominent Dorset huntsman has won his appeal against a conviction for encouraging illegal fox hunting in an online talk.

Mark Hankinson, 61, then director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, was alleged to have told members of the Hunting Office to use legal trail hunting as a “smokescreen” for criminal activity, writes Henry Vaughan, PA.

The prosecution was brought after saboteurs leaked footage of his August 11, 2020 webinar, attended by 100 people, including police officers, lawyers and a member of the House of Lords, to police and the media.