Three men have pleaded guilty to multiple hare coursing offences and have been ordered to pay over £1,000 in fines.
On 5 November 2023, Humberside Police officers were called to farmland near Rawcliffe Bridge following reports of a group of men hare coursing.
The rural task force was deployed and using a drone and high powered 4x4 vehicles, the men were located with dogs and arrested at the scene.
At court, the three men pleaded guilty to hunting wild mammals with dogs and trespassing with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs.
They also pleaded guilty to being equipped to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs and trespassing on a railway.
They appeared at Hull Magistrates Court on 3 April and 5 May in connection with a single incident in November 2023.
Farmers and landowners face huge costs when damage is caused to crops and land by hare coursers, particularly when the land has just been seeded or the crops have just started to grow.
On occasions, the crime causes thousands of pounds worth of damage, which the landowner has to foot the bill for.
Rural Crime Officer PC Sam Blakeborough, who led the investigation, said: “I am pleased with the outcome at court as we have continued in our targeted activity to disrupt and combat hare coursing in our communities.
“For Callaghan, the exclusion from entering the East Riding of Yorkshire is a first for Humberside Police outside any Criminal Behaviour order.
“I hope this outcome sends a message to those who wish to conduct hare coursing activity that Humberside is a no-go area and that the Rural Task Force seek to take robust action to deter and prosecute those committing these types of offences."
Joel Miller, aged 27, of North Wales was fined £199, issued a community order, required to undertake 120 hours unpaid work, and disqualified from driving for 42 days.
James Callaghan, aged 46 of Chester, was also fined £199, issued a community order, required to undertake 120 hours unpaid work, excluded from entering the East Riding of Yorkshire for 12 months, as well as a forfeiture order for the destruction of recording devices.
Connor Waring, aged 25, of Chester, was fined £624.
In October 2023, three men were sentenced following hare coursing offences in December 2022, with one man receiving a custodial sentence.
Two men were also recently ordered to pay out more than £12,000 after being charged with the same offences.
