Hunting with dogs - Hunting Act 2004

Six members of the Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt charged

A police investigation into conduct by the Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt was undertaken by Derbyshire Police and based on evidence captured by the animal welfare charity League Against Cruel Sports.

The six accused will put in a plea and a case management hearing will be held.

Joint master William Tatler, 45, of Idridgehay, Belper, Derbyshire, huntsman Sam Staniland, 31, of Sudbury, Derbyshire, whipper-in John Finnegan, 33, of Pickwell, Leicestershire, terrier man Andrew Bull, 50, of Sudbury, Derbyshire, assistant terrier man Sammuel Stanley, 25, of Needwood, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire and joint master Peter Southwell, 60, of Great Haywood, Stafford, Staffordshire, face a charge of hunting a wild mammal with a dog contrary to Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.

The alleged offence is said to have been committed on Saturday, 2 October 2018 in local woodland near Sutton on the Hill in Derbyshire.

Before the Hunting Act was introduced, hunts would train their hounds to kill adult foxes by first training them to hunt and kill young fox cubs living in patches of woodland. When the Hunting Act was introduced that practice was made illegal.

Hunt Details:
Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt

Source: Ecologist