ANTHONY WILLIAMS CAUGHT HARE COURSING IN NEWENT AND COTSWOLDS

Anthony Williams, also known as Chang Williams, born on November 13, 1990, and residing at 4 The Stables, Southend Lane, Newent GL18 1JD, was found guilty of illegal hare hunting activities. The incident took place on New Year’s Day in 2021, when Williams was caught engaging in hare coursing on private farmland near Cirencester, located within the Cotswolds.

Williams, who works as a tree-surgeon and owns the landscaping business Landscapes Plus Ltd, was accompanied by two juvenile individuals during the unlawful activity. According to a spokesperson from Gloucestershire Police, Williams entered the farmland under cover of darkness, accompanied by the two boys, and proceeded to encourage his lurcher-type dogs to pursue and hunt hares on the estate. This activity is classified as hare coursing, a practice that is illegal under UK law.

The private estate near Cirencester, which was targeted for this illegal activity, was under surveillance by the estate’s gamekeeper. The gamekeeper observed Williams and the two boys engaging in the unlawful hunt and immediately contacted emergency services by dialing 999. Police officers responded swiftly to the scene, arriving to find Williams and the two juveniles present. They were promptly arrested, and their vehicle along with the dogs used in the hunt were seized as evidence.

Following the arrest, the two boys were dealt with separately through the Youth Offending Team, which handles juvenile offenders. Williams, however, was summoned to court to face charges related to his actions. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Williams’ crime was premeditated, involving deliberate cruelty to numerous hares and causing distress to the landowner and the estate’s gamekeeper.

Williams was charged under the Hunting Act 2004, which prohibits hare coursing and related activities. He was convicted of the offence and subsequently ordered to pay a fine of £1,713 within 28 days. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness of illegal hunting activities and the legal consequences faced by those who engage in such practices.

In summary, Anthony Williams’s illegal hare coursing on private land near Cirencester and in Newent has resulted in a substantial fine, highlighting the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat wildlife crime and protect rural landowners from illegal hunting activities.