Officer discovers suspected poacher with dead hare while on routine patrol in North Yorkshire

A night spent roaming in the North Yorkshire countryside led to a scheduled court appearance and a Covid-19 fine for one suspected poacher.
Rural officers in North YorkshireRural officers in North Yorkshire
Rural officers in North Yorkshire

The man was arrested after a police officer spotted flashing lights across a field while out on a routine patrol near Great Edstone, Ryedale, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The officer came across a parked car with a man sitting inside. Another man was located nearby with a lurcher dog on a lead and carrying a dead hare.

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The man with the dog was taken into custody over suspected poaching, with North Yorkshire Police currently clamping down on hare coursing and other rural crimes.

The 31-year-old, from Guisborough, Teesside, was subsequently charged with hunting a wild mammal with dogs, and possessing a lock knife, which was found on him during a search.

He is due to appear in court next month, and has been told to stay away from North Yorkshire.

Both men were issued with Covid-19 fixed penalty notices after being found breaching restrictions to stay at home.

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Inspector Matt Hagen, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said officers understood the terrible impact of poaching on rural communities.

He said: “Poachers often have no regard for farmers and landowners, causing thousands of pounds of damage to crops.

"Victims are often intimidated or even threatened with violence if they challenge offenders, leaving them feeling vulnerable to further crimes, particularly in isolated areas.”

Police in North Yorkshire are called to more than 50 incidents of suspected poaching every month, with incidents increasing significantly from August onwards during - and after - harvest time.

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