Western Hunt master John Lanyon Sampson appeal refused

A Cornish hunt master found guilty after a cat was killed by hounds has had his appeal refused.

John Lanyon Sampson, who lives on a farm in St Buryan, Cornwall, was originally found guilty in December at Truro Magistrates Court of being the owner/person in charge of dogs dangerously out of control in a private or public place.

His hounds killed Mini, a 14-year-old rescue cat, outside her owner’s home on a housing estate in Madron, near Penzance and his son threw the body over a fence.

The court heard that on March 6, 2021 hounds from the Western Hunt were being exercised by Sampson and his son Edward on horseback.

Six or seven hounds broke away from the pack and ran into a cul-de-sac on the Trafalgar Fields Estate.

The dogs spotted and pursued a 14-year-old cat called Mini belonging to Carly Jose.

Footage filmed by neighbour Charlie Knight showed them corner her near some fencing outside her house where she was attacked and suffered "catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries".