Weather
Putting a stop to hare hunts (From Oxford Mail)
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting OXFORD NEWS to 80360 or email us
Putting a stop to hare hunts
3:40pm Sunday 5th October 2008
A crackdown on an illegal blood sport plaguing the Oxfordshire countryside has been launched.
The hare coursing season began last month and police have reported a rise in the activity in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.
Hunters travel from around the country to Oxfordshire and damage crops and fields.
They wager money on which dog will make the hare change direction, but often the hare is caught and killed. Pc Darren James said Operation Migrate, launched last week, would target the illegal sport in the Wantage and Faringdon areas. Several arrests have already been made.
He added: "Every autumn and through the winter months, hare coursers become a menace to local farmers and landowners.
"It is not just the act of putting dogs on to the hares that we are concerned with but also the total disregard that the hare coursers have for other people's property.
"They cause criminal damage to crops, fences and buildings and those responsible are very often in breach of various traffic laws.
"Hare coursers in our area also use The Ridgeway illegally.
"I would like to remind the public that if anyone is caught hare coursing they will be arrested and their vehicles and dogs will be seized. We will be working jointly with the RSPCA actively patrolling the areas targeting those responsible."
It is believed large amounts of money are traded on hare coursing.
It was banned alongside fox hunting in 2005, which caused a huge reduction in the activity.
Earlier this year an early warning crime system called Countrywatch was launched by West Oxfordshire District Council.
It allows farmers, landowners and rural residents to circulate information on crimes affecting the countryside such as lead thefts, distraction burglaries, bogus callers and hare coursing.
In June, Wantage magistrates fined two brothers more than £1,000 each for hare coursing.
Craig Richards, 33, and his younger brother Scott, 20, from Rowley Regis, in the West Midlands, admitted three charges of hunting hares with dogs.
Anyone with information should call police on 08458 505505 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
More News stories
- Controlled parking zone one step away from approval
- Didcot power station named as one of UK's worst eyesores
- Supermarket manager brings World Cup to England
- Stars spring surprises for Childish Things
- Hundreds fined in Oxford clean-up drive
- SPORT RELIEF: Walking miles to make a difference
- Students work on homes for Haiti
- Pork pie’s a cut above the rest
- Literary lovers book in for Oxford festival
- Lap dancing club defies protest
Your Say YourOxford
tonybrett, Oxford says...
11:27am Mon 6 Oct 08
Who sets Police priorities?
ADC, Carterton says...
3:47pm Mon 6 Oct 08
The Home office claim that this is something that they take very seriously, and that is why in July this year the Government set out
"a new vision for tackling crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour" over the period 2008–11 in a new
strategy, Cutting Crime: A New Partnership 2008–11. This is supposed to recognise the huge amount that has been achieved since 1997!
In reality of course Police time is wasted filling in forms and meeting quotas set by this useless government!
markio, Abingdon says...
9:29pm Mon 6 Oct 08
ADC, Carterton says...
11:36pm Tue 7 Oct 08
Whilst I share the frustration of so many that our Police Officers are forced to spend too much time filling in paperwork and not enough time out on our streets I just want to make one comment...Neighbourh
ood priorities are set by Neighbourhood Action Groups and local Police teams through consultation with members of the public! This consultation is done at public meetings and by carrying out street surveys etc. The Neighbourhood Priorities are geared around what the public consider to be the priority issues!
Lets not blame our local policemen and PCSOs, they do a grand job when they are allowed to patrol the streets and when they are not tied to a desk, and then only when they have enough of them to deliver the service I am sure they would all like to!
Foxy Lady, Oxford says...
9:53am Wed 8 Oct 08
Your sayYour Oxford
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Oxford Mail account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
Pc Darren James, left, and Pc Marc Lester patrol the Downs near Wantage
Debt Help from My Financial Solutions | Stay with Prague Hotels | Visit Spain with Barcelona Hotels | 70% off Designer Glasses at Posh Eyes
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
beetle & wedge, Chippy says...
6:12pm Sun 5 Oct 08