Farmers plagued by hare coursers can now take part in a new consultation on court sentencing guidelines, with hopes the outcome could make a real impact.
Following long-term lobbying, the Sentencing Council has announced a consultation on the guidelines for the courts when dealing with hare coursing offences.
Its proposals aim to ensure a consistent approach in combatting the crime, as well as covering four offences associated with it.
Currently, as part of legislation passed in 2022, hare coursers face an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.
Last year, four men were ordered to pay out nearly £20,000 after they destroyed a farmer’s field while being equipped to go hare coursing in Lincolnshire.
But rural campaigners say the activity still significantly impacts farmers financially and mentally, and it also has animal welfare issues for hares and dogs.
They add that people involved in hare coursing are often involved in other criminal activities, looking for equipment and fuel to steal.
NFU Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire Chair, Freya Morgan said the Sentencing Council's consultation was a positive step forward.
She said: “There has been some good progress, but more needs to be done. We need to see more arrests and more convictions.
“There needs to be a better understanding of hare coursing and its impact across the whole criminal justice system, including all police officers, not just in the rural crime teams, as well as with police call handlers and magistrates.
“With serious criminals operating on their land, often behaving in a very intimidating way, farmers don’t feel safe in their own homes.
"We feel that our children can’t walk freely around the farm for fear of who they might run into."
Mrs Morgan, who farms near Bedford, has told of her own experiences of being a victim of hare coursing on many occasions.
In 2020, she spent around £12,000 on increased security to protect her farm, including erecting about 50 lockable gates, installing a £4,000 electric entrance gate and digging ditches around the farm to limit vehicle access.
She, and other farmers across the country, have even resorted to hiring private security firms to carry out night time patrols.
“This has made a difference, but the problems are still there," Mrs Morgan explained.
"We were hit by hare coursing again in December and we have seen in the news recently that hare coursing continues to be a major problem for many people."
She concluded: “There is a lot of work to be done but together we can achieve it.”
The Sentencing Council’s consultation is now open and runs until 25 April.
