DARRAN LEE AND RONNIE DOHERTY CAUGHT HARE COURTING IN COVENTRY AND LINCOLNSHIRE
Darren Lee, born around 1996 and residing on Top Road in Barnacle, Coventry CV7, along with Ronnie Doherty, born on 28 March 2001 and living on Newton Road in Rushden NN10, have been found guilty of illegal hare coursing activities.Both men, known locally as traveller and wildlife offenders based in Rushden, North Northamptonshire, admitted to their involvement in this illicit activity during court proceedings in 2023.
Their conviction stems from incidents that occurred in August 2022, when they were caught trespassing with the intent to pursue hares using dogs.
The pair was prosecuted after being observed in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, specifically in the villages of Gedney Dyke and Whaplode Drove.
The events unfolded when a witness, utilizing binoculars, noted the registration plate of a Jaguar as the suspects fled Middle Drove in Gedney Dyke, having been seen bundling sighthounds into their vehicle.
Prosecutor Paul Wood detailed that a mobile phone seized from Ronnie Doherty contained voice messages and conversations explicitly discussing hare coursing activities.
The device also held photographs of leaflets from Lincolnshire Police’s Operation Galileo, a campaign aimed at combating illegal hare coursing, along with images of the new legislation.
Additionally, the phone contained 13 videos depicting hare coursing, including at least one filmed on the day of their arrest.
Mr.
Wood highlighted a recorded conversation where Doherty narrates, “this is how me and young Darren goes coursing, boys,” providing clear evidence of their involvement.
As a result of their guilty pleas, the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew similar charges related to incidents in West Pinchbeck and other locations within South Holland on the same date.
During the court hearing, Jason Patel, representing both men, acknowledged that hare coursing is a deeply ingrained activity within their community and personal histories.
He explained that these young men had grown up in an environment where such activities were commonplace.
Importantly, Lee and Doherty became the first individuals in Lincolnshire to be charged under the new laws introduced to combat illegal hare coursing.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which came into effect on 1 August 2022, criminalizes activities such as being equipped for, searching for, or pursuing hares with dogs, as well as trespassing with the intent to do so.
Convictions under this legislation can result in unlimited fines and imprisonment for up to six months.
Furthermore, the law permits courts to order the reimbursement of costs incurred by police in kennelling and veterinary care.
In this case, both Darren Lee and Ronnie Doherty were ordered to pay a combined total of £11,144 to cover kennelling and veterinary expenses.
They were also banned from owning or keeping dogs for a period of five years.
The court suspended the rehoming order until 31 March 2023, allowing them to rehome their dogs before the ban takes full effect.
Additionally, the court issued an order for the forfeiture and destruction of a thermal scope used by the suspects to detect the body heat of hares, a device often employed in illegal hare coursing activities.
This case underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to crack down on wildlife crime and enforce new legislation aimed at protecting vulnerable species and rural communities.
