Hunt given police warning after animals killed

A hunting group was issued a Community Protection Warning by police after two animals were killed, it has been revealed.

Albrighton and Woodland Hunt was issued the warning by Staffordshire Police in March, for conduct including the killing of a muntjac deer and a fox in September and December 2023.

CCTV showed the hounds were unsupervised and out of control after entering private land several times, police said.

The force said the incident caused property damage and "harassment, alarm, and distress" to residents and land owners in the area.

In the results of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the police force, published this week, police said this was the second Community Protection Warning issued to the hunt. The previous one was given in February 2019.

Staffordshire Police said the warning was issued after "persistent reports of anti-social behaviour and damage to property".

The hunt did not wish to provide a comment to the BBC.

Its website describes it as a "friendly traditional mounted hunt located in the beautiful West Midlands countryside" which hunts in parts of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.

It continues: "At all times the Albrighton & Woodland Hunt intends to hunt within the law, performing legal activities permitted by the Hunting Act."

Under the terms of the warning, the hunt was ordered to adhere to 10 requirements, which included informing police of locations, dates, and routes for trails to be laid, as well as the names and contact numbers for the people in charge of each hunt.

They must also avoid areas with badger setts and contact police "straight away" in the event of "any accidental kills of wild mammals", leaving the animal for evidence.

Trails must be laid well away from main roads and also away from woods and hedges where wildlife would naturally go to rest.

The warning will remain in place until January 2027.

The FOI request also asked Staffordshire Police if Community Protection Warnings had been issued to The North Staffordshire Hunt Limited and The Staffordshire Moorlands Hunt Limited.

The force said neither hunt group had been issued with this warning.

While fox hunting was banned by the Hunting Act in 2004, groups have since practised "trail hunting", which involves laying an animal-based scent trail for their hounds to chase.

However, animal charities such as the RSPCA still have concerns about trail hunting.

The RSPCA says on its website: "Despite being legal, there have been concerns that trail hunting is being used as a smokescreen to get around the law and continue traditional, illegal fox hunting, which would be a major concern.

"In recent years several major landowners have suspended or permanently banned trail hunting on their land."

The RSPCA also expressed concerns that trail hunting could lead to foxes being disturbed, chased and killed, or that non-targeted animals could be harmed by the hounds.

In 2018, the Albrighton and Woodland Hunt confirmed one of its dogs had fatally attacked a cat in its owner's back garden.

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