Crime, Gillingham | Posted on April 10th, 2025 | return to news
Four men convicted for illegal fox hunting in Dorset
The group were captured on film hunting a fox with a pack of dogs at Pelsham Farm on 4 December 2023.
A group of men who staged an illegal fox hunt on a farm in Dorset have been convicted.
Conall McGrath, 23, Andrew Osborne, 60, Freddie Osborne, 34 and George Pierce, 33, were captured on film hunting a fox with a pack of dogs at Pelsham Farm on 4 December 2023.
The footage showed Andrew Osborne flushing the fox from the undergrowth, which the hounds then pursued with the encouragement of McGrath, Pierce and Freddie Osborne.
The hounds caught the fox and were allowed to attack the fox for 45 seconds, without any attempt by the four men to call them off, before Pierce sounded a hunting horn to indicate a kill.
McGrath and Freddie Osborne then disposed of the fox’s carcass in a hedge.
At trial, the men had argued that the chase was unintentional and unplanned.
However, the prosecution was able to piece together drone footage as well as witness testimony and expert evidence to prove to the court that their actions were deliberate.
At Poole Magistrates’ Court on 9 April, the group were found guilty of hunting a wild mammal with dogs and ordered to pay significant fines.
McGrath and Pierce were each ordered to pay a £350 fine, a victim surcharge of £140 and costs to the court of £650.
Andrew and Freddie Osborne were both ordered to pay a fine of £200, a victim surcharge of £80 and costs to the court of £650.
Adam Cooper, a Senior Crown Prosecutor and Wildlife Crime with CPS Wessex, said: “The violent death this fox faced is deeply distressing and cruel.
“All involved were experienced hunt personnel, and we were able to demonstrate evidence of the defendants clearly in control of their hounds at other points during the day before intentionally engaging in this illegal fox hunt.
“We work closely with the police on all wildlife-related cases to make sure there is sufficient evidence to meet our legal test for prosecution.”
Please share post:
LATEST NEWS:
CHARITY OF THE YEAR 2025
Subscribe to the online magazine news letter
