North Essex: Officers thanked for response to hare coursing – man fined
Date of alert:
Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Crime Ref:
Force:
Essex Police
An estate manager has praised police officers after a man was fined for hare coursing on farmland and ordered to pay compensation for damage caused.
Albert Eastwood, 26, of Denton Close, Redhill, Surrey, admitted hare coursing and causing criminal damage to fields on the estate in north Essex.
On 21 April at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, he was fined £200 for hare coursing and £100 for criminal damage. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to the estate, £105 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
“Full marks to Essex Police for pursuing this to a prosecution because hare coursing is a difficult crime to prosecute, although I’m hoping that Government plans to introduce tougher sentencing will happen soon.
“The police dealt with the case beautifully, they arrived quickly, the man’s collar was felt and I couldn’t have asked for more.
“Hare coursing is a scourge and, quite apart from the fate of our brown hares, it often has links to organised crime, although not in this case. Thousands of pounds can be gambled at illegal coursing events.
“I have noticed the police response to such incidents has improved over the past couple of years and officers are more knowledgeable about hare coursing and the trouble it causes in rural communities. We really appreciate the police support, especially in what can be a remote and rural location.”
Estate manager.
Eastwood had been spotted on 1 February 2022 driving his 4x4 vehicle at speed across a field, following a lurcher which was chasing a hare. The dog caught up with the hare, killed it and then stopped.
Police were called by one of the gamekeepers and an Essex Police officer stopped Eastwood’s vehicle before he could leave the estate. The vehicle contained two lurchers, together with three dead hares concealed in the passenger footwell.
The padlock and chain securing the field gate had been removed and tyre marks and ruts could be seen across the field.
Eastwood was reported for hare coursing and criminal damage.
