Three men fined after pleading guilty to daytime trespass in search of game following incident near Howden

A police helicopter and fixed wing plane were dispatched after a local resident raised the alarm near the hamlet of Gribthorpe, close to Spaldington on February 17.

The helicopter assisted in detaining two of the suspects, with the aircraft helping catch the third. Three lurcher-style dogs and a van were seized at the time.

Gary Cregan, 63, Jack Cregan, 28, and John Hoyle, 64, appeared before Hull Magistrates Court earlier this month where they pleaded guilty to daytime trespass in search of game contrary to Section 30 of the Game act 1831.

They were fined a total of £760 and received forfeiture orders for the three dogs - Boss, Alpha and Bella.

Rural Task Force Constable Kevin Jones thanked members of the local Farmwatch for their help, as well as colleagues from the National Police Air Support unit, who gathered “key” aerial evidence in support of the prosecution.

He said he hoped the sentencing of the three was "shared far and wide..as a message of zero tolerance against those who chose to commit rural and wildlife crime within Humberside".

He added: “We will continue to use legislation available to disrupt, deter and prosecute individuals responsible alongside our partners and the rural community to reduce the fear of rural crime and anti-social behaviour."